The Best Friend
by WoNdY Alice
Summary: Robbie wants to date Cat. When he overhears a girl saying an ideal boyfriend would get along with her best friend, Robbie decides to hang out with Tori more. Problem? Tori isn't her best friend. It's Jade, who has become scarier since her breakup with Beck. Surprisingly there's so much more to her than people gave her credit for. Rade friendship. Bade romance. Cabbie romance.
1. Prologue

Alice: New story! Just to say it now, it's not Robbie x Jade romance.

Emily: They are just friends and will remain so throughout the whole thing.

Alice: So a bromance.

Emily: The romances are listed below.

Alice: Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Title: The Best Friend<p>

Summary: Robbie wants to date Cat. When he overhears a girl saying an ideal boyfriend would get along with her best friend, Robbie decides to hang out with Tori more. Problem? Tori isn't her best friend. It's Jade, who has become scarier since her breakup with Beck. Surprisingly there's so much more to her than people gave her credit for.

Pairings: Rade friendship. Bade and Cabbie romance. Minor, implied/pre-Tandre.

Takes place right after The Worst Couple.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Prologue<strong>

Whispers of Beck and Jade's breakup flooded the halls. The legendary couple finally shattered, just as many suspected they would. Granted, it took much longer than they thought it would. And yes, while they've broken up before, they never changed their relationship status on the Slap. That's how the school knew they were officially done. Girls cheered at Beck's new status, thinking he would finally start dating them. Robbie snorted when he heard the rumors. Of course all the girls assumed Beck broke up with Jade because he could "no longer put up with her". However, they didn't see the misery of the break up like Robbie, Cat, Tori, and Andre did. Trina was there too, but she was far too focused on Beck to care.

The only reason Beck and Jade clouded his mind was due to Cat. Ever since the red headed girl entered his life, he's been head over heels. Not only was she adorable but she was fun and energetic and positive. If Beck and Jade broke up, maybe that meant something? Maybe the world was telling him to go after Cat now before it was too late like it was for them. Nodding to himself, he tried thinking of ways to seriously ask out Cat. He's tried before. Oh, he has. Either she took it as a joke, or she just giggled and said no. Needless to say, it frustrated him.

"You hear about Beck and Jade?" a girl whispered. Robbie nearly groaned but bit his lip to quiet himself. He tried to stifle any outward signs of annoyance and focused on the class. While he always knew the two girls behind him loved to gossip, could they really think of no other topic? He's been hearing and thinking about that all day!

The second girl nodded. "Yeah! It's everywhere. They broke up but no one knows how. Beck refuses to tell us anything, and Jade is way too scary to ask!"

"At least Beck is free," the first girl, Melissa Robbie thinks her name is, stated. "I've been so in love with him for a long time! He's so nice too."

"He is perfect," the second girl, Amy, agreed. "I mean, he's good looking but not a jerk. He's smart but not too much of a nerd. Not to mention, super nice and just amazing. He put up with that _witch_ for so long which just shows he's patient towards a girl even when they make mistakes. I'll bet he'd get along with my best friend too."

"Oh of course!" Melissa nodded in agreement. "I used to have this boyfriend who didn't get along with my best friend. It's, like, bros before hoes! I dumped him."

"Good for you!" The girls continued to giggle away. Robbie, on the other hand, gasped. Of course! That was how he could win over Cat's affections. He's seen the movies where the best friend sets up a boy and girl together. All he had to do was get close to Cat's best friend! Since that best friend was obviously Tori, he didn't have to try all that hard since they already talked and hung out. All Robbie needed to do was spend a bit more time with her, and perhaps Cat would finally say yes to his advances! He beamed, silently thanking the girls in his head.

* * *

><p>Zipping past other Hollywood Arts students, Robbie's eyes landed on the empty seat in which Tori normally chose. He plopped down on the chair right next to it and smirked, already thinking of excuses if Tori asked why he was sitting there. Slowly the room started to fill in with Sikowitz naturally being the last one to enter. Tori tilted her head slightly at the sight of Robbie sitting dangerously closer to her chair but thought nothing of it. "Okay!" Sikowitz clasped his hands together, scanning the room only to slightly frown. "Beck!"<p>

The popular boy rolled his head towards the teacher, giving him an attitude filled glare that made Robbie flinch. It had been exactly two weeks since the breakup with Jade, and Beck's appearance and conduct started to subtly change. Of course, only the tight group of friends (Tori, Andre, Robbie, and Cat) noticed. His hair was a bit messier and his clothes started to look slightly sloppier. Along with his new small glares and signs of annoyance, these tiny gestures scared the group of friends. With the public eye, he hasn't changed a bit. "What?" his voice sounded pleasant but there was an underlying message of 'do not talk to me today'.

Needless to say, Robbie didn't blame him.

"Where's Jade?"

Beck scowled, a dark, ominous aura overtaking him. The whole class shuddered at the change, inching away if only subtly. "How should I know?"

"Very true." Sikowitz frowned, disapproval edging away at his expression. "Cat!"

The redheaded girl yelped, jumping up and flinching at being called on so suddenly. "Yes!"

"Where's Jade?"

Robbie frowned, glancing between Sikowitz and Cat. "How should she know?" Robbie accidentally blurted out.

"Because she's my best friend!" Cat beamed proudly, hands on her waist and back standing completely, unnaturally straight. Her whole posture beamed with pride at the notion of her best friend, but Robbie's only diminished with dread as the realization dawned on him. Everyone, excluding Beck, blinked in slight surprise at Cat's declaration. Well, Robbie didn't blame them. The two girls never looked overly comfortable together and talked only when it suited them. Though, there were videos on the slap of their sleepovers, but Jade always made excuses of why she needed to stay at Cat's house.

Maybe he should start paying closer attention to Cat's personal life. Was that why she rejected him so often? Because he thought he knew her when he was truly clueless? Sikowitz grumbled, "Yes, Cat, I know. Now why is one of my favorite students not in my class?"

Cat slumped back in her seat. "She's… at an appointment."

Sikowitz obviously did not believe that but let the topic go after one glance at Beck, who started ripping the seams out of his backpack. "Alright then. Let's do some acting exorcises!"

And, thus, the class continued as though nothing extraordinary just happened. As the teacher babbled on about some new techniques, Robbie remained glued in his seat, staring at the floor with overcoming fear. If Jade was Cat's best friend… did that mean he had to try and befriend her? She would slaughter him! Time and time again she's expressed a complete hatred, or _tolerance_ as she claimed during the breakup, for him. Why did Cat have to befriend her? Was it even worth it? Robbie sighed, throwing his face in his hands in frustration. Yes, it was worth it. Because Cat was the first girl he ever truly liked. Yes, he's suggested he liked Tori but never meant it. For a while, he convinced himself he loved Trina, but that was short lived. So, in order to have Cat love him, he needed to befriend the scariest girl he's ever met, who just went through a breakup that made her angrier.

Really, that was just his luck!

* * *

><p>Alice: Did you guys see the Sam &amp; Cat one hour special?<p>

Emily: I was relieved when Cat was jealous because Sam stole Jade and not the other way around.

Alice: I love Cade friendship way too much to have Cam 2.0 take over (seriously, the dynamics between Sam and Cat, Jade and Cat, and Carly and Sam are really alike with minor differences).

Emily: Anyways, this will have a larger focus on the Bade and Rade friendship/romance than it will on Cabbie, so I am sorry about that.

Alice: That doesn't mean there will be no Cabbie. It just won't be as empathized as the other two.

Emily: Well, this is my first Victorious story since 10 Things, so what did you guys think?

Alice: Should I continue?

Emily: Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 1

Alice: New chapter. I was going to wait a little longer to update but there was such a strong support for this story that I had to update sooner.

Emily: I mean, wow. You guys are amazing! I wasn't suspecting that so many people would love the idea or read it, and I'm really happy you guys are.

Alice: So thank you so much! Here's the new chapter.

Emily: Enjoy!

Alice: And to answer some questions, Cat will get jealous in this story as will Beck.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 1<span>**

It took a while for Robbie to actually find the Goth girl, and he flinched the moment he did. Sitting alone in the corner table, Jade was furiously ripping apart an innocent napkin with her evil scissors. Gulping and chanting in his head that this was for Cat, he strode over towards her lunch table with attempted ease. He could literally feel the questioning stares burn into his back but didn't turn around to face Beck, Cat, Andre, and Tori. This was, after all, a sacred mission. Besides Cat might see the fear in his eyes if he did look back. "Jade!" his voice was slightly wavering. "Can I sit with you?"

Threateningly slow, Jade turned her head to him with fierce, cold eyes that almost made him soil himself. Her hand clutched her scissors tightly, to the point where her knuckles turned even whiter. As she glared at him, her upper lip curled in an animalistic snarl. Robbie gulped again. "I-I'll take that as a yes?"

Oh God, why did he decide to do this in public? And in front of Cat? At least if he talked to her in private no one would see him run away. Another slither of him wished he brought Rex into school today and let him do the talking through the puppet. That normally calmed his nerves in social situations. Glancing back, and wondering if it was too late to dash out of there, his eyes caught a glimpse of Cat's adorable, confused expression. New determination seeped through his veins, and before Jade could yell at him, Robbie threw himself into the seat next to her. "You're dead," she hissed.

Robbie outwardly ignored her statement and bit into his sandwich. On the inside, he was trembling with what could only be described as terror. "Um… there's this movie Saturday night called _Wicked Ways_ a-about a technological apocalypse. I was thinking we could see it together? Me for the technological and you for the apocalypse?" Robbie's stammering did not help the situation. Neither did what he said, apparently. At the mention of Saturday night, Jade's eyes flared with newfound fury and her hand suddenly gripped his wrist, squeezing and making him cry out.

"You're disgusting," she snarled and tightened her grip just for extra measure. When Robbie let out his second whimper, she released his arm and walked away from the table, leaving her food behind. He gasped for breath as soon as she disappeared and clutched his wrist, knowing fully well that bruises would form the next day. What had he done wrong? He offered to see a movie, and she just exploded! Honestly, how did she expect to make friends if she acted like such an antisocial freak? The image of Cat accepting his confession seemed to fade further away because of this dumb, impossible scheme.

"No." He mumbled to himself. There was no way he was going to let this go so easily! People have broken through Jade's walls before, right? Well… not really. Now that he thought about it, only Cat and Beck have managed to earn her complete trust and love. Wait, that's it! Robbie grinned, springing up from his seat and rushing back to the group table. Much like before, he hurled himself into the seat, grinning like a madman at his newfound plan. "Hey guys!"

"Robbie!" Tori faked a smile, eyebrows raised as though silently asking why he was sitting with Jade beforehand.

"Beck!" Robbie exclaimed, pointing to the uncomfortable looking boy. "How did you get so close to Jade?"

An uncomfortable, dead silence overtook the table. In his head, Robbie cursed himself for being so out there with his curiosity and not trying to be subtle. Andre leaned towards Beck, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder as Tori simply backed away from the boy. Cat merely tilted her head to the side, staring at him with a strange calculating expression that Robbie didn't have the time to read. "Um… I just never gave up?" Beck's gaze was cold and questioning. Another thing Robbie just didn't have time to decipher. "I kept pressing and pressing and doing things that I slowly started to figure out she liked. Eventually she just gave in."

"Kind of like process of elimination!" Robbie beamed. "Use other means and exclude them as a solution if they don't work. Keep trying until you deem a solution as the proper response!"

Beck frowned, disappointment and slight anger creeping into his expressions. Robbie was too far gone to notice this though, so he didn't understand the warning behind the words when Beck said: "So you're using a scientific theory out on Jade?"

"Process of elimination isn't scientific," Robbie offhandedly claimed as he worked his way out of the chair. Smiling at the group, he waved goodbye and rushed off without another word. Much like at the beginning of lunch, he could feel their questioning stares without looking back.

* * *

><p>Unfortunately, Robbie couldn't find Jade anywhere after she left lunch. It was almost as though she disappeared from the school, and he couldn't help but think that was becoming a common occurrence. Where would she go if she needed somewhere to hide? Somewhere no one would bother looking? For the life of him, he couldn't guess. How could he? After all, he barely knew her. "Dang it," Robbie grumbled. Looks like he would have to try again tomorrow.<p>

Try what though? Beck claimed in order to become close to her, one would have to do things she likes and cease doing what she dislikes. So what did she like and dislike? How on earth would he remember her reactions to things? Oh well that was easy. Like all nerds, he kept an extra, blank notebook in his locker if he needed to. Rushing to his locker, he quickly entered the combination and grabbed the green notebook. On the first page, he labeled it: "_How to Date Cat"_. As he happily plopped down on the staircase, he opened up to the first pages and started writing:

_Jade does not like being asked out on Saturday nights. She will react angrily and stomp off if you do. _

Robbie paused. That was one thing on the dislike section. What about the likes? He snickered, because that one was pretty easy.

_She is in love with Beck. Probably wise not to bring that up for obvious reasons. She likes scissors to for some reason. Maybe as about that? She might like to talk about it. _

What else was there? Putting down "dark, creepy" things might be too vague. Horror movies maybe? Again, too vague. What if there were some she hated but some she absolutely loved? He groaned, banging his head against the lockers behind him. Okay, how on earth was he going to do this? Just sit down and ask her about these things? Sighing, he started writing down a new section besides the "likes" and "dislikes". Now it was time to fill out the "unknowns" that he was willing to try on her.

_Maybe get her some black or dead flowers. She might like fake blood. Get her to sing possibly?_

"Robbie?" Tori appeared above him, causing him to screech and close his notebook freakishly fast. The girl above him gave a tiny laugh in amusement.

"What's up?" Thank goodness his voice came out without any of the usual stuttering.

Tori's face became serious again as she sat down and sighed. "I think you should stay away from Jade for our sake."

"Why?" Robbie's eyebrows furrowed.

"Because!" Tori threw up her arms like that would explain everything. Realizing it didn't, she sighed and went into deeper reasoning. "I've wanted to be Jade's friend from the beginning, even after she splashed coffee all over my head. She just has one of those personalities that always hurts you but makes you wanting to come back every time. Frankly it's dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Robbie exclaimed.

"Yes!" Tori nodded. "I don't want to be mean about it because I really do like Jade. There have been so many times where I've longed for her to let me in and to be my friend. And every time I thought there was some progress, that we've finally reached that level of trust, she would say or do something that hurt me and degraded the moment we just had. It hurts a lot, and I just want to save you from it."

He sighed, leaning his head back as Tori, though reluctantly, sat on the ground with him. "I just…" He couldn't say this was all for Cat. Most likely Tori would tell Cat and Jade which would result in the plan not working. Scattering his brain for a response, he breathed in relief when he was able to form a slight truth. "I just feel bad. She's all alone, you know? Before she had Beck at least, but now it seems like she has no one. She was our friend even if she didn't want to admit it, and I want to show her we care."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Tori mumbled, but the flush on her cheeks revealed that she had the same process of thinking but ultimately failed. A newfound respect for Tori filled his heart as he recognized that Tori wasn't bashing on Jade but rather protecting him from the hurricane that she could leash on him. From this new perspective, Robbie now realized Tori wanted to be Jade's friend.

"Thank you." Robbie truthfully told her. But, no matter how cruel Jade became, he needed to pull through this. It was, after all, for the girl he was in love with.

* * *

><p>Deciding to arrive a little late to school, Robbie was not disappointed when he saw Jade roaming the empty hallways during Sikowitz's class. He approached her with more confidence than he had yesterday and tapped on her shoulder. She turned to him, eyes blazing just like yesterday. Flinching only slightly, he handed her the warm cup of coffee in his hand. "I got you coffee!" Robbie blurted out. "It's black, and I didn't know how many sugars you wanted so I just brought a couple to let you pick."<p>

As if proving a point, he reached into his pocket and thrusted eight small things of sugar into her hands. She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow and backed away from him, as though suspicious of his motives. "What the fuck, Robbie?"

He blushed at the language. "Um… I figured you would want some-"

"NO!" She screeched, hurling the coffee and sugars to the tiled floor and glowering at him.

Robbie jumped back, careful not to stain his shoes with the coffee. Luckily none of the classrooms in use were nearby, so no teachers came out wondering what that loud scream was. "W-what? I thought you liked coffee!"

"You," she growled, grabbing the collar of his shirt and slamming him against the locker walls. "What are you planning?"

"Huh?!" Robbie exclaimed.

"Your ultimate motive." She stated angrily. "Did someone pay you to get close to me? To buy me coffee? Or is it some sick satisfaction for you to try and befriend the freak of the school?"

Her hands were shaking ever so slightly, and he couldn't help but stare directly into her green-blue eyes with absolute wonder. The fury and annoyance were all present but so was the heartbreak and fear behind his actions. Was she so distrusting that she deemed everyone had an ulterior motive for being nice to her? Behind the angry, powerful façade she was a scared, insecure girl that didn't want to get hurt?

Guilt overpowered him in that moment as he continued to stare into her. He had an ulterior motive: get close to Cat. Did that make everything she was screaming at him true? Yes, it did. He was the scum of the earth for simply wanting to befriend her in order to date her best friend. For abusing her emotions and friendship just to date the girl he loved. Cat wouldn't approve of this. She'd hate him for it. Heck, he hated him for it right now. "I… I…"

"Yeah," Jade released his collar, causing him to crumble to the floor. "That's what I thought. Never talk to me again."

She strutted off with what appeared to be confidence but Robbie knew better now. Wrapping his hands around his legs, he pondered over this for a moment. He grabbed his backpack and harshly opened it, digging out the green notebook and opening to the pages. Gripping the top of the page, he told himself to rip it out. Instead his hand wouldn't move and tears came to his eyes. Sighing to himself, he released the corner of the page and wiped his tears away. He dug around again for a pencil and stared at the first page of the notebook. With the tip of the eraser, he made the words "_How to Date Cat_" disappear. In their exact place, he rewrote:

_Befriending Jade West. _

* * *

><p>Alice: Next time on <em>The Best Friend<em>: Robbie realizes why Jade was so angry when he mentioned going on out Saturday night.

Emily: I hope you guys liked it.

Alice: It will take a little longer for Cat to be jealous compared to Beck, but it is only because Beck used to date Jade, who is more closed off. But remember that Cat will be jealous.

Emily: Thanks for reading! I hope you guys liked the chapter.


	3. Chapter 2

Alice: Here's the new chapter!

Emily: I hope you all enjoy.

Alice: Sorry it's been a while. There have been snow days and power outages that have just made writing impossible.

Emily: But I'm back, so here is your next chapter!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 2<span>**

How did one go about befriending Jade West, Robbie pondered during his math class. When the goal was dating Cat, he didn't see the complete process of _how _to earn her trust but the _result _of it. The result was her bragging about how cool Robbie was to Cat, so Robbie mostly talked about himself in the few times he tried talking to her. Well what if he asked her about herself? She wouldn't reply, Robbie immediately guessed. If it took someone as attractive and smooth and _not socially awkward_ so long to gain her trust, it would take him eons. He groaned, rubbing his forehead with the tips of his fingers and ignoring the glare his teacher sent. "What would she like…" Robbie grumbled to himself. He listed earlier a couple things, but he doubted giving her a pair of scissors would turn her over.

Then what?

"Did you hear?" a girl next to him giggled to her boyfriend. Why the teacher let couples sit together was beyond him, as they would only distract each other. "Jade West is putting on another freakish play this Saturday."

Saturday… Robbie's head flung up dramatically as he whirled around the girl, tapping her shoulder almost annoyingly. As she slowly turned around, he could clearly see her glare but it wasn't anything compared to Jade's, so he developed an immunity to glares. "Where did you hear that? Do you know the details, or are you just saying it on broad terms?"

The girl raised a questioning eyebrow but answered anyway. "I found a poster hanging up near the janitor's closet. Why?"

"Teacher!" Robbie shot up eagerly, his hand wavering in the air. The teacher, who was in the middle of explaining a test question, practically snarled at him, but he was once again comparing it too Jade's terrifying expressions. "Can I go to the bathroom? Please?"

She didn't bother answering. Instead she just "hmped" and waved her hand in a similar fashion. As he dashed out the door, he could hear the snickers of his fellow peers. Frankly he could care less as he's never had their respect. Although the fact once bothered him immensely, he started to slowly realize he just didn't care what they thought about him. After all, he now had great friends: Andre, Tori, Cat (hopefully a girlfriend soon), Beck, and (hopefully soon) Jade. He reached the janitor's closet in record time and tore the blood red poster off the wall.

Quizzically staring at it, his suspicions were confirmed when the times clearly stated this play would be performing Saturday night. He only bothered watching one play by her and that was because Cat was playing the main character. Tori managed to convince Andre to come that night, and Beck was required to go since it was expected from her boyfriend. "I'm an idiot," Robbie mumbled to himself when he remembered how he asked Jade to hang out the very night her play was being performed. Was that how it usually was for her? No recognition for her plays unless Tori took part in helping with the production?

Being overshadowed by someone else. Maybe he and Jade had more in common than he originally thought. His thoughts dissembled when a small whimper caressed his ears ever so gently. In fact he barely heard it at first. Furrowing his eyebrows, he leaned towards the sound which was coming from inside the janitor's closet. Another choked up sound was heard more clearly and he froze. Jade West was crying in a janitor's closet. Is this where she snuck off to? All those times Cat's claimed she had appointments over the two weeks, and she's been here?

As he reached for the doorknob, he hesitated. Would she really appreciate him trying to comfort her? The guy who until yesterday was trying to befriend her just for the sake of Cat? Besides it wouldn't be comfort to her; it would be someone catching her in a moment of vulnerability and taking advantage of it to learn her secrets. No, his hand dropped, it wasn't time to hold her as she cried yet. She would come to him if that was ever needed. As his hand gripped tighter around the slowly crinkling paper, a new idea arose from the depths of his brain on how to cheer her up.

He walked away from the door separating himself and the crying girl with a mournful heart.

* * *

><p>Cat skipped happily down the halls with a cup of coffee in her hands. While she found the beverage to be repulsing in taste, she rather enjoyed the happiness it gave Jade. She made her way towards the closet, hell bent on reaching that area before something serious happened which she highly doubted. She briefly caught sight of Robbie walking in the opposite direction but paid him no mind. Right now Jade needed her more than ever. "Cat?" Beck approached her from behind, his appearance even sloppier than the day before.<p>

She froze misstep and slowly turned around with a fierce glare. "Beck." She said snidely. It was a tone of voice she never once used on the boy she once considered a best friend, a brother. But things have changed since that breakup, and the three of them were definitely warping into such different shapes that she doubted they could ever fit together like they once did. For her friend's sake, she put up with him around a crowd but not in private.

"Is… is Jade okay?" Beck bit his bottom lip in concern. His brown eyes were so wide and confused that Cat briefly considered dropping her defenses and spilling how Jade was most certainly _not _okay; however, she did not because not even she knew that.

"I don't know Beck." She spat out his name. "What do you think?"

His eyes darkened, but it didn't scare her. It never has. "She hasn't talked to me, she hasn't looked at me—dammit Cat, she hasn't even been in the same room as me since what happened! I'm the only one she can rely on but she's-"

"And what great help you turned out to be," Cat whispered in such a deadly manner it shut mouth of Beck Oliver. "There is a reason why that door was never opened."

"I…" he looked like a kicked puppy. His shoulders sagged and his eyes were cast downward. It was pitiful. "I know."

"Good."

* * *

><p>"And you want me to do this why?" Sinjin glared at his fellow nerd. At lunch Robbie practically flew to Sinjin's lonely self in the computer lab in order to request a website being made for Jade's upcoming play. It may still be Friday at noon but this was LA. If the website became popular enough, swarms of people would be able to attend Jade's gruesome creation. And, since LA was full of people who adored the dark and scary, he didn't doubt more people than her usual average would come. Problem was he wasn't the best at creating websites, and that's where Sinjin came in. When he pitched the idea to Sinjin though, he received a suspicious glare.<p>

"Because!" Robbie attempted thinking at the top of his head. "You're in love with Jade, right?"

"Yes."

"And Beck's finally out of the picture right?" he continued with that train of thought, unsure of where it would lead but hopeful that Sinjin would still fall for it. Knowing the naïve boy, he would buy it hook, line, and sinker. "This is your chance to shine! Make sure Beck stays out of the picture. I've always thought he could do better than her, and now he has a chance. So if she falls in love with you, he won't have second thoughts about falling in love again."

Sinjin's eyes widened as he grinned. "So I'll make the website to have Jade fall in love with me and that will make Beck available to you? Okay, I'm in!"

"… Wait, what?" Robbie blinked, and in his mind, he just chanted _this is for Jade, this is for Jade, this is for Jade. _"Where did you get that from? Is that a common rumor or something? That I'm in love with Beck?" Is that why Cat kept rejecting him? Because she thought he was gay? Dang it, that would be hard to disprove. At Sinjin's "knowing" smile, Robbie just sighed. It wasn't too late to truly dive into method acting. "And I thought I kept it hidden so well."

"Don't worry buddy," Sinjin beamed, patting his back happily. "We can both get our true loves!"

Robbie smirked. "So you'll make the website?"

"Course! I'll have it up before the end of the day!"

"Cool. Mind if I use the copier? I have to make copies of my homework." He fluently lied, eyeing the crumpled up poster just barely sticking out of his backpack. Sinjin gladly nodded without any suspicion like before. As soon as Robbie walked behind Sinjin, he did a tiny happy dance in celebration. Man, he was almost as good as Beck!

* * *

><p>Robbie stared at the tremendous pile of posters in both his hands and in the boxes he was carrying around in the shopping cart he randomly found in the street. Well, weirder things have happened to him. Like that whole "riding a cupcake" nonsense a few weeks back. Either way he patiently waited for the friend he texted to show up. Part of him debated asking Tori to help hang the posters, but he realized it would be of no use. After all, the last time Tori began involved in her production, it spiraled out of control. "Hey man." Andre pocketed his phone as he must have been looking at the directions. "Can we make this quick? A friend needs me later tonight."<p>

"No problem!" Robbie handed him a box of posters. He threw up his hands in a way that "presented" the streets of L.A. and all its glory. Andre frowned, pulling out a single poster from the box and nearly dropped it when he saw the play title and playwright. "We, my dear friend Andre, are going to hang these up everywhere!"

"What?!" he exclaimed. "Why? Dude, what is it with this recent fascination with Jade freakin' West? Did you hear her sing or something?"

"Hear her what?" Robbie tilted his head to the side, mildly bewildered as Andre began blushing out of control, as though recalling a memory he tried to repress long ago. Oh well, it didn't matter. Right now he just needed to hang all these posters just before the major crowds started walking the streets. "Look, I feel bad that we kind of messed up two of her productions with the whole prom thing and hiring a crazy lady to fund her wishing well one. I realized we never really made up for it, and this is where we should start."

Andre sighed. "I guess you're right… let's do this."

They spent the remainder of the day hanging up posters and handing them out to anyone passing by. Robbie noticed quite a few times how often Andre checked his phone and typed back long messages with his face contorted in concern and almost pain. Normally he would have asked about it, but he had no time, as he wanted to finish hanging up the posters. To him, this would be his first good deed to Jade, and he didn't want it to be something as minor as handing her coffee, which he tried last time.

This time he wanted her to smile.

* * *

><p>Jade licked the ice cream off her spoon, scowling when she realized the ice cream tub was empty. Cat was sitting beside her, rambling off and on about school and acting. Frankly Jade just zoned out but did pay attention to the things that appeared to truly upset her best friend. They were having another sleepover, and Jade managed to convince her to <em>not <em>film this one. The girl gave in quite easily this time, and for that Jade was thankful. "I saw Robbie today too." Cat blushed. "He looked really distracted. He didn't even talk to me all day!"

The thought of the boy made her insides howl in dislike, but she pushed it down. At first, she tolerated Robbie for Beck. Eventually she tolerated him for Cat as well. "Hasn't he asked you out a bunch of times?" Jade questionably asked. "If you like him so much just say yes. It can't hurt, right?"

"No!" Cat shook her head. "He's liked girls before. Remember Trina? And when he flirted a lot with Tori? I might just be another pretty face, and I want to make sure he likes me for me. If we start dating, and he finds another pretty girl, then what? I want to be sure."

"I think he likes you," Jade rubbed her arm soothingly. Cat nearly pouted, wanting to know why they were talking about her love life of all things. But, that was the problem with Jade. While they were best friends, Jade never saw her as an equal but as a child that needed protecting. Instead of sharing her problems with Cat and expressing the darker side of her emotions, Jade coddled and mothered Cat. Probably because she didn't want to burden her with what she was going through. It made Cat almost devastated to see her best friend think like that.

"You're phone's ringing," Cat mumbled, trying to change the subject. Jade frowned, stretching forward from her sitting position on the couch and grabbing her phone from the table. On the screen, a plethora of email alerts filled the small, pear shaped phone. As she scrolled through them, her eyes widened and her lips stretched in the happiest smile Cat's seen in weeks. "What is it?"

"M-my play," she sounded close to tears, "it's sold out!"

* * *

><p>Alice: Next chapter: Beck pines over Jade, and Robbie goes to see Jade's play.<p>

Emily: I hope you liked it!

Alice: Thanks for reading! I love you guys!


	4. Chapter 3

Alice: New chapter!

Emily: Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong><em>NOTE OF APOLOGIES:<em>**I'm just going to say now that I am terribly sorry my updating has been so bad this year. I am currently in my junior year of high school, and I am preparing to take the SATs, pass my driver's test, pass my honors/AP classes, and I have work on the weekends. Then a couple months ago my best friend since I was two years old had a panic attack which resulted her in hitting her head and losing the majority of her memory. I have been helping her out since, and it hasn't left me much time for writing. She is doing better now and can remember most of what she forgot, so I will be able to write more. I want to apologize again for taking so long to update.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 3<span>**

Robbie entered the auditorium with an extra bounce in his step. Somehow, he managed to completely sell out the play with just his posters, and he barely managed to buy a ticket himself. He briefly wondered if he should have asked Tori, Cat, Andre, or Beck but decided against it. Only Cat would have truly wanted to support her friend, but she would have been terrified by the amount of blood that Jade would have used. As he walked towards his seat in the play, he held the black roses and dead flowers close to his chest out of fear. Many… interesting looking people decided to appear at her play.

Some wore all black with the darkest makeup he's ever seen while others dyed their hair outrageous colors, more so than Cat's, with spikes hanging everywhere on their clothes and faces. One teenager was wearing a ridiculous looking hat and some sunglasses indoors. Wait… Robbie squinted his eyes at the one with the hat and gaped at the sight. Quickly shoving past the terrifying crowd, he gripped the teen's shoulder and whispered, "Beck? Is that you?"

Yes, judging by the way his whole body tensed. He slowly turned and lowered his glasses to expose his familiar brown eyes. Much like Robbie a few moments ago, he squinted in surprise. "Robbie?" he hissed, glancing around in a panicked manner. "What are you… hang on."

Beck gripped his wrist much too tightly and literally _yanked _him out of the playroom and into the evacuated halls. Whirling around to face the nerd, Beck frowned in obvious disapproval at him. Robbie just raised an eyebrow, and Beck's eyes moved from his face to the flowers he was holding. If possible, his eyes narrowed, morphing from disapproval to seemingly fury. "Hi Beck," Robbie tried to dissolve some of the tension.

"Hi." His voice was completely devoid of emotion.

"So… what are you doing here?" Robbie awkwardly nodded his head, ignoring the terror building up in his system.

Beck snorted. "I'm here to see my girl—Jade's play."

"Why?" the curly haired boy blinked in surprise.

"Because," his eyes darted to the wall. "I like them."

"Uh…huh." Lie. It was such an obvious lie that Robbie had trouble believing this was Beck. Normally he could lie himself out of any situation, but apparently not when it involved Jade. "Does Jade know you're here?"

"No." He narrowed his eyes, stepping towards Robbie in an intimidating manner that made him instantly step back. "So make sure it stays that way, got it?"

Robbie swallowed. "G-got it!"

"Good." Beck glanced at the auditorium before looking back at Robbie. "The play is going to start soon, so you might want to get in your seats."

"Okay!" Robbie waved to him as Beck put his sunglasses back on and marched into the auditorium. Once he disappeared from sight, Robbie collapsed onto his knees, focusing on breathing and not having a panic attack. He should have brought Rex! He should have brought Rex! He could usually just talk through Rex if social situations became too much, but he stupidly left him at home! Breathe in. Out. In. Out. In. Out.

After he calmed himself down, Robbie stood up on shaky legs and entered the auditorium. He sat down and waited patiently for the play to start which only took around five minutes. In a predictable manner, the play was full of blood, pain, and horror. Yet, strangely, it also focused on the little things: relationships with parents, peers, and even love. It made Robbie realize that perhaps maybe Jade's plays weren't just about being creepy but telling her story as well. Now that he thought about it, the play he helped produce with the rest of the gang centered on a girl's relationship with her father.

Robbie made a mental note to put "family" in the "do not ask Jade about" section of the notebook. By the end, Robbie was nearly in tears as the main character waited behind a door for his father to open it up and promise his son that he would now stay home instead of working all the time. In a way parallel to the breakup, the father stepped towards the door but in mid-step shook his head and turned the other way. As if the son could see his father walking away, he started crying in the room by himself.

The curtains closed, and the play ended. The entire audience shot up and began applauding madly, some in tears like Robbie was. As he rose to clap, he noticed from the corner of his eye that Beck was frozen in his spot. His hands were visibly shaken, and if Robbie could see under his sunglasses, then he could swear Beck's eyes would be wide. Serves him right since that door scene was inspired by him. When the actors came onto the stage to bow, Robbie managed to squeeze his way out of the crowd.

Beck, as it seems, was doing the same thing and rushed out of the theater as though his life depended on it. Robbie stared after him for a moment before walking down the aisle and sneaking back stage. Since there was no security, it was rather simple. Jade was easy to find. Standing in the center of the backstage, staring at the audience in wonder, she started to smile which made Robbie pause. It was a completely unguarded, joyful beam that he's only seen from a distance when she was with Beck. Awkwardly coughing, Robbie watched as the smile fell from her lips as her head turned to the sound. "Robbie?!" she exclaimed, narrowing her eyes. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Apologizing?" he blurted out, sheepishly shrugging. "Offering friendships? Congratulating you on your play? I got you flowers." He was so nervous he literally shoved them into her arms. "They're all dead or black, so you don't have to deal with those flowers you hate."

Jade crossed her arms, but the fact that she didn't completely smash the flowers gave Robbie some hope. "What would you be apologizing for?" she glared.

"Being pushy?" Robbie offered. "I just… I want to be your friend, Jade. No ulterior motive and no other reason for the sake of just enjoying your company."

"You're stupid." Jade pronounced, gripping the flowers tightly.

"For wanting to be your friend or for trying?" Robbie countered. The goth blinked, opening her mouth only to shut in. _Nice job Robbie, _he thought to himself, _you managed to stun her into silence._

"Both." She decided on.

Robbie grinned. "Then I'm stupid." She just stared at him. "I don't have many friends who actually care about me, and you keep pushing away the people that do. What better combo?"

"Anything else," she said dryly.

He nodded but still couldn't keep the smile off his face. There was no malice in her tone and no glare on her expression. He managed to slip past her anger and move onto her defense mechanism. If he could go past that, they would be proper friends. "I won't stop trying." He promised.

"And I won't stop pushing," she said confidently.

"Neither will I."

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading!<p>

Emily: I should be updating more often.

Alice: There's your Bade moment for right now.

Emily: The next chapter will have a little more Cabbie.

Alice: Thank you for being so patient with me!

Emily: Happy mother's day!


	5. Chapter 4

Alice: New chapter.

Emily: Enjoy! School is officially out!

Alice: That gives me a ton of time off! Like, it's amazing how much time I now have off.

Emily: It feels weird. To actually sit down and write without thinking "oh my gosh I have stuff to do!"

Alice: Thanks for being so patient! Now here's the new chapter.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 4<span>**

Cat didn't like change that much. Well, that was a rather harsh way to put it. She didn't like vast changes to her regular life. Among those included her brother being hospitalized, her best friends breaking up, and Tori Vega transferring to her school. Granted, the last one she eventually adjusted to but that took time and effort. With this new change, it was hard to smile and adapt to it. Robbie was suddenly fascinated by Jade West. He clung to her like glue, and he attempted to befriend her as though it was his life mission. Well, this change had been rather recent and only occurred a couple days ago, but she detested it nonetheless.

"Robbie?" Cat skipped over to his locker, batting her eyes a little more than usual. As usual, he blushed at her presence and stammered a hello. _Good_, she thought, _that hasn't changed. _"How are you today?"

He beamed happily at her. "Good. How are you?"

"Good," she took a step closer so that she was only slightly invading his personal space. "Can you help me out with one of my tech classes? I don't get what's going on."

"Sure!"

"Okay." Cat smiled. When she turned around, she purposely did so in a manner that would make her perfume linger in his space. As she walked back to her own locker, she tried to think if any of that interaction had changed. Did he blush? Yes. Stammer? Yes. Seem overly excited with helping her out? Yes. Then perhaps his sudden interest in Jade was much like his sudden interest in Trina or in Tori: a fleeting crush because they were available and actually talked to him. She smiled, knowing she could easily overcome his little infatuation. When he thought he loved Trina, she kissed him to remind him who he really loved. With Tori, it just took a little flirting and smiling.

With Jade, she would have to think of something new.

* * *

><p>Tori glanced at the empty chair in silent disapproval. It was Sikowitz's class, and Jade was nowhere to be seen. As usual, Sikowitz asked around about where his "favorite student" had gone, but no one knew. Well, she guessed Beck and Cat had a theory but neither spoke it. In fact, Cat and Beck seemed to avoid each other nowadays. While they weren't attached to the hip like Beck and Jade were, they were still very good friends. In fact, Cat was one of the only girls Jade allowed to get "up close and personal" with her boyfriend. Now ex-boyfriend.<p>

"Skipped again," Andre mumbled in her ear, eyeing the chair with both anger and despair. "She's really going out of her way to avoid Beck."

That last part was said with such disdain that it surprised Tori. "Yeah," she agreed. "I wish she would just come back to class. I'm starting to miss her daily abuse."

The sad part was it was kind of true.

Andre snorted, "I don't know if it would be a good thing or bad thing if she came back."

"Why would it be bad?" Tori questioned.

"Beck."

Ah, so that's what it all came down to in the end: Beck and Jade's breakup. She used to think Beck and Jade breaking up would have almost no effect on her or her friends, but she was very wrong. Everything had changed, and she didn't know how to handle it. Then again, she didn't think anyone else did either. Even Sikowitz sighed in disappointment when Beck would say he had no idea where his ex went.

"How come Jade doesn't get in trouble for skipping this class so often?" Tori mumbled, more to herself than to Andre, but he answered anyway:

"Cause Sikowitz marks her as present," Andre claimed. "He's done it before, but we don't really know why. At least, Robbie and I don't."

"Robbie's been acting strange," she said.

"Yeah," he frowned. "When I had a crush on Jade, I had the decency to not go after her."

Tori furrowed her eyebrows and stared at her friend. "But your situations are different. I mean, you had a crush on her when Beck was dating her. Now she's free, so anyone can hit on her."

"It still makes Robbie a bad friend to go after an ex. Even worse of a friend because of how they broke up," his eyes once again hinted at some deeper knowledge towards the situation that she didn't have. Well, he was Beck's best friend, and he knew him better than almost anyone.

Tori leaned back, sighing deeply. "I just want things to go back to normal."

"Yeah," her friend agreed. "Me too."

* * *

><p>From the moment Jade sat down at her lunch table, she was expecting Robbie to plant himself on the chair next to her. And, as always, her predictions were correct. The nerd decided to follow her around as though his life depended on it, and the snarling seemed to not work on him anymore. He took her anger with a pleasant smile and her harsh comments with laughter. What had changed all of a sudden? He saw one play by her and now he thought they were best friends forever. "Stop following me," she growled, knowing that it would have no effect on him.<p>

"I'm not following you," Robbie pouted. "Sinjin already does that, and I'm on an entirely different level than Sinjin."

"Do not bring him up." She spat. The curly haired boy nodded but noticed something rather odd. She seemed to clutch her fork a bit tighter at the mention of Sinjin, and her whole body tensed just a fraction. Normally he wouldn't have noticed this, but by spending the whole day wandering after her, he started to pick up on how she normally was.

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he's pretty creepy. I may follow you around but that's because I want to be your friend. He outright stalks you!"

"He does," Jade nodded in agreement, her tone still very harsh.

"I'm surprised you haven't filed a restraining order against him," he continued, watching her body language for any other hints of how she felt about the freaky boy. "I would but maybe that's because I'm a wimp."

"He's no threat," she said offhandedly. "The worst he's ever done was break into my house."

Wait… what?

"He… what?" Robbie blinked.

"I was at Beck's, and he broke into my house," she shrugged. "He video called me and some of your friends, and I realized his lamp looked a lot like mine. He ran out the moment I accused him of breaking and entering."

Robbie's jaw dropped open as he stared at her. "How did he get into your house?!"

"Beats me. Beck was actually the one to look over all the locks and—" she abruptly ceased all talking and stabbed her food a little harsher than necessary. _Beck is completely off topic_, he thought to himself. Since she would probably run off if he mentioned Beck, he kept the topic on Sinjin.

"He's a creep." He stated. "If he ever breaks in again, call the police."

"I can handle it."

"I know." Robbie said, making her tense and look at him with rather intense eyes. It was as though she was trying to read him. "Just because you can handle it doesn't mean you have to."

She narrowed her eyes a bit and stared at him for a little longer before standing up, grabbing her tray, and walking away from the table. Throwing her food out in the nearest trash, she calmly walked back into the building a good ten minutes before class started. Robbie didn't know whether to smile because he knew he had broken through on some level or to frown because she left.

Instead he picked up his own tray and walked back to the regular lunch table where the rest of the group was sitting and not-so-subtly watching him. "Hey guys," he sat down between Andre and Cat. Beck and Tori were sitting across from him, and the table was silent for a moment. "What's up?"

"Nothing." Cat smiled as though it was truly nothing. "When are you going to help me with my class?"

A bright blush came onto his cheeks before he could stop it. "W-whenever you want?" Robbie offered, most likely smiling like an idiot.

Cat beamed, twirling her bright hair in her fingers and pausing in thought. "This Saturday?"

"Sure!" Robbie smiled, his heart skipping a beat even though it was just an innocent offer. Everyone in the group went to him for tech studying except for Jade and Beck. Although that might be due to Beck being naturally amazing at everything and Jade being too suborn to help. Either way, it probably meant nothing to Cat but everything to him.

As he was thinking all of this, he didn't see the devious little smirk that played on Cat's lips nor the relieved huff that escaped Beck's.

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading!<p>

Emily: Enjoy your summer everyone! I know I am.

Alice: Whoo!


	6. Chapter 5

Alice: New chapter.

Emily: This will have some Cade friendship.

Alice: Also, I have a new poll on my profile for which new fandom I should write for.

Emily: The list of fandoms is Supernatural, Teen Wolf, Merlin, Avengers, and ICarly. If you are a fan of any of these, I would suggest voting on the poll.

Alice: Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 5<span>**

When Robbie came into school that day, he did not expect to be yelled at by Sinjin. Nor did he expect to be yelled at to stay away from Jade. Frankly he thought today would be a calm one since he was starting to understand what to say and what not to say around Jade. He managed to convince himself he didn't need Rex for the day either! Well, it's not like he couldn't handle Sinjin, but he was better to have as an ally than an enemy. "And you are clearly after Jade when she is indeed mine," Sinjin continued his rant as Robbie was grabbing books from his locker. "I thought you said you were into Beck, but I guess you changed your mind!"

Robbie cringed at the last part and quickly looked around to make sure no one heard that. Luckily no one wants to spy on two nerds, so they weren't listening. "Sinjin!" he interrupted. "I'm only friends with Jade so I can help you out."

Sinjin frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm talking about you." That part was true. "All good things, so she would consider dating you." That part was false. "I figured I might as well have her out of the way for good, and the only way I can do that is if she falls in love with someone else. I'm talking you up so she won't go after Beck."

It was as though a huge amount of tension left Sinjin's body, and he was once again slouching and grinning. "Okay thanks man. I was just nervous because it didn't look that way."

"It's fine," Robbie smiled, and Sinjin offered him a good luck before rushing out. Once he left, Robbie let out that one breath he was holding and shoved his face in his own locker. As he breathed in and out, he tried reminding himself that it was really just Sinjin. Why would he feel nervous about being yelled at by someone who was less liked than him? Once he got his breathing under control, he closed his locker and jumped when he saw Jade leaning over the lockers. "Jade!"

"Robbie." She nodded, her eyes briefly diverting to Sinjin across the hall and back at him. "What did Sinjin want?"

The nerd blinked in surprise. "Why do you want to know?"

"I heard my name," she shrugged, "but not anything else. So why were you talking about me with Sinjin?"

There was an underlying threat in her tone. Perhaps it would have scared him before but now it did nothing. "He said I was getting too close to you."

"He what?" Jade exclaimed. Judging by her voice, she was both enraged and amused by the situation.

Robbie chuckled, "He just came out of nowhere and started saying how you were his and that I should stay away. You'd think he would have gotten the hint by now that you don't like him. At all."

"I know!" Jade snorted. "Honestly I've rejected him a hundred times and insulted him even more. Yet he still hangs around me as though he has a chance!"

"Hangs around you?" Robbie exclaimed. "More like stalks you! I swear if I were you, I'd call the cops or get a restraining order. Didn't he break into your house?"

A small, grateful smile touched her lips for a millisecond before it was replaced with an all too familiar sneer. Now that he thought about it, no one ever truly approached the topic of Sinjin in their group besides Beck and possibly Cat. How many times had he hit on her in front of them? Or outright admitted to knowing things that she clearly did not tell him? Perhaps Sinjin did scare her a bit in that he was stalking her. "He's a loser," she simply claimed. "I don't need to waste my time and effort on him."

"You're a lot braver than me then," he replied with complete honesty.

That compliment earned him an actual soft smile which made her look almost beautiful. Before he would have never put "beautiful" and "Jade" in the same sentence but now he was reconsidering it. Without the scowl and the harsh sneers, she truly was a sight to behold. Of course, she must have remembered who she was talking to, and the scowl came rushing back to her features. It didn't matter to Robbie though because that earned him another break through into Jade's true personality. "Whatever," she scoffed and walked off without another word.

Robbie watched her leave with a huge grin on his face, and he pulled out his notebook once she was fully out of sight. In the "likes" section, he quickly scribbled that she likes to make fun of Sinjin then pauses. Turning to a new page, he wrote at the top "extra information", and he briefly described her slight fear of Sinjin. Smiling, he put the notebook back in his locker and makes his way to class.

* * *

><p>When Robbie walked into Sikowitz's class, he did not expect all heads to turn to him. Neither did he expect the whispering. Frowning, he carefully sat down next to Andre, who scooted his chair a little further from him. That stung. Before he could ask why Andre didn't want to be near him, a blonde haired girl approached him with a false smile. "Why are you following Jade around?" she asked rather loudly. Although she had a nice expression and tone of voice, Robbie could easily tell she meant to make fun of him.<p>

At least Jade was outright with her disrespect for someone instead of hiding it like this coward.

He coughed a bit. "We're friends in progress."

"No offense, but why do you want to be her friend?" Robbie could easily tell she didn't mean the first two words of that question.

Robbie scowled. "Because she's honest about everything and outright tells you what she thinks. She doesn't hide behind any sort of mask." Well, she did but not like the masks other mean girls wore. It was ironic in a way that mean girls pretended to be nice, and Jade probably hid her nicer side behind a mean façade.

The girl clearly understood his subtle insult and frowned. "She's a bitch!"

"Hey!" Both Beck and Robbie spoke out at once. Beck immediately glared at Robbie, who shrunk a bit in his seat. Andre just sighed and shook his head at Robbie in disappointment which was just as bad. Robbie continued with his sentence regardless, "Well you are too and people want to be your friend so…"

The class "oooh"ed in response. The blonde gasped as though she had been slapped and stood up straighter. Robbie was so focused on her that he didn't notice Cat stand up in alarm, glaring at the girl who might harm her crush. "You're worthless, Shapiro! You think you're so cool just because you hang around with people like Beck and Tori? Well you're not. They probably only let you hang around them because they feel bad for you. I know I do."

And just like that, the majority of the class burst out laughing. At him. Robbie felt tears sting at the corners of his eyes and his chest burn with embarrassment. He wanted Rex. He _needed_ Rex. As his breaths started becoming shorter and quicker, he knew he was beginning to have a panic attack. He tried to block it all out, but all he could hear were the laughs directed at him.

_"What a loser!" a kid laughed, pointing at him._

_ "Who would want to be your friend?" another little girl giggled. "You're not worth anything."_

_ "Freak!"_

_ "Loser!"_

_ "Nerd!"_

He ran out of the classroom.

* * *

><p>Cat lounged on her couch with a blank expression on her face. Today a mean girl had bullied her crush right in front of her, and she didn't have the time to do anything about it. Sikowitz had walked in right when Robbie walked out. Instead of asking where the nerd was, he just questioned where Jade was once again. Cat nearly shrieked at him that Jade wasn't coming back to the classroom as long as Beck was there and that he should be asking where Robbie was this time. But she didn't, and she deeply regretted it. She also regretted not running after Robbie when she could or defending him when they started laughing.<p>

She really was completely useless.

"Okay," Jade plopped down on the couch with two tubs of ice cream. "Do you want the cookie dough or the chocolate chip mint?"

The redhead shrugged in response, not feeling up to speaking that much. Jade frowned, inching towards her best friend. "Are you okay?" she applied that motherly tone into her voice. "Cat, what's wrong?"

She bit her lip and stared into her best friend's green-blue eyes. "Am I helpful to people?" she questioned.

"Of course you are," Jade reassured.

"Because I don't feel it," Cat sighed. "Some kids were bullying someone today, and I didn't defend them when I should have. It was like when we were kids, and I didn't speak out against those jerks who pushed you around."

Jade's eyes softened. "That's because I could handle them. I asked you not to do anything, remember? Once you stood up against them, they would have targeted you too. You didn't deserve that."

"And you didn't deserve to be treated like that either!" Cat exclaimed, tears in her eyes. "But I still didn't say or do anything, and that's what I did today! I'm useless!"

"Never say that about yourself!" Jade had a harder edge to her voice now yet it was still laced with motherly affection. "Cat, you help people by staying bright and happy. You don't bring anyone down. You lift them up. That's enough. That's what helped me."

Cat pretended to smile and nod at her words but it was a lie. Jade could clearly tell she didn't truly believe what was said but didn't push the subject. Instead she handed the girl her ice cream and began to dig into her own. Cat was too conflicted to even bother eating it. All of this reminded her of when Beck broke up with Jade, and Cat didn't run after her. She merely remained with her friends and awkwardly played a couple card games.

Really, she couldn't do anything to help her friends or her loved ones.

"How was class today?" Jade changed the subject most likely trying to distract Cat from her inner pain.

"Good," she mumbled, taking a bit of her ice cream. "Sikowitz is wondering where you are."

Jade smiled. "Yeah, I miss him."

"You should come back to class," Cat piped up. "I know you don't want to be around Beck, but you shouldn't end your life because of it."

That made her smile disappear instantly. "I'm not avoiding him," Jade insisted. "I just want a break in the day."

"During the only time you and Beck have to share the same room together?" Cat replied doubtfully. "Jade, you can't—"

"Drop it, Cat," she sounded exhausted. "Please. Just drop it."

And she did because that's what she always did. Her and Jade were best friends, and they deeply trusted each other, but they didn't tell each other anything. At least, Jade didn't. Cat was soon figuring out Jade truly treated her as though she were her daughter. Jade listened to every single one of Cat's problems and offered advice and comfort to each. When Cat inquired about her problems, Jade immediately changed the subject because she didn't want to "burden" Cat with her issues. Much like how a mother wouldn't discuss her stressful situations with her small child.

It annoyed and saddened Cat to no end.

"Oh shit," Jade cursed, ignoring Cat's slight gasp at the word choice. The goth girl answered her phone. "What?" she snapped. She paused, listening to the other end of the phone with slight fear. "Okay. Okay! Fine. I'm on my way back. Okay! Whatever. Bye."

She hung up and apologized to Cat, "My stupid dad just called and needs me home," she rolled her eyes. "I have to go."

"Are you sure you can't stay longer?" Cat didn't like her father. While she never brought up the conversation with Jade, she often discussed Mr. West with Beck, who hated him just as much. Neither talked to Jade about their suspicions with how Mr. West treated Jade, and it was one of the few secrets kept between just Cat and Beck.

"Sorry but he sounds annoyed," Jade stood up, handing Cat more of her ice cream. "Call me later, okay?"

"Okay," her voice sounded weak even to her own ears. As Jade collected her things and rushed out of the house, Cat merely stared at her ice cream as tears sprang to her eyes.

She truly was completely useless.

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading! There's a little more insight to Cat's character.<p>

Emily: Next chapter will have more interactions between Jade and Robbie.

Alice: Enjoy your lovely days!

Emily: And your lovely summer.


	7. Chapter 6

Alice: New chapter.

Emily: I'm officially on vacation in my summer home!

Alice: It took some adjusting to get used to going to a different state and what not, so I had to delay writing for Fanfiction.

Emily: Now that I'm all settled in and have seen all the people I need to see, let's get writing!

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

Jade was in a bad mood. Literally anyone who crossed paths with her could tell, and everyone avoided her because of that. Well, almost everyone. Robbie had overheard rumors about how Jade snapped at a blonde girl, scared a muscular football player into tears, and _growled _at a teacher for asking her a question in class. When Beck and Jade were still dating, the general public knew to let him handle her during these days because he could calm her down. Without Beck, that calming demeanor that once prevented Jade from snapping at people was gone. Now when she walked through the halls, most people dashed away from her.

Robbie wasn't exactly most people.

Once he heard of those nasty rumors, he rushed to her locker during break. She was angrily putting her books away and clutching a pair of scissors in her hands. As he slowed down to a walk and approached her, her head whipped towards him and her lip curled with disgust. This was the moment Robbie realized he should have had a plan. "Um…" he stammered. He couldn't comfort her or she'd become furious with him. Then how else was he supposed to make her feel better? He gulped and decided to just wing it. So far, improvising has been working for him. "Why was Hitler hit with a baseball bat?"

She raised an eyebrow impatiently. "Because he was a racist, homophobic, sexist, nationalistic man who killed millions of people and started a second world war?"

"No. Because he did Nazi it coming." Robbie tensed, not knowing what to expect. Would she take offense that he tried to tell her a lame joke while she was feeling awful? Would she walk away? Would she yell at him?

Truly the last thing he expected was for her to actually laugh at the joke. Amazingly it wasn't just a singular chuckle. She was actually clutching her sides and leaning against her locker laughing so hard. It was… amazing. Now that he thought about it, the only times he's seen her this happy were in videos with Beck that they posted on the Slap. Even then, she never laughed like that on the videos. "That is," she said between laughs, "such an offensive joke!"

"Well I'm Jewish, so it's okay," Robbie smiled, chuckling a bit at the unexpected positive reaction from his joke. However, all sound died on his lips when she smiled at him. Not a tiny smirk or a sarcastic, cruel grin but a smile. The bell rang out, and Jade instantly walked away from him to go to class. Robbie, however, was frozen on the spot. That was the first time she's ever smiled at him. He's only seen her smile at Beck and sometimes Cat but those were at a distance and could barely be witnessed. When she smiled, her expression relaxed and her eyes softened making her look calmer and happier.

When Beck used to call her beautiful, Robbie never understood until now.

"Robbie!" Cat skipped up to him. "Are you ready to go to class?"

"Huh?" Robbie blinked. "O-oh. Yeah."

The two started walking to class together, and Robbie was far too distracted to focus on what Cat was saying. "Oh and what time should we meet on Saturday for the study plan?"

"Anytime," he knew he was being rude, but he was too dazed to care. It wasn't as though Jade's smile caused him to forget all of his feelings for Cat. No, he was still deeply in love with the girl beside him. Jade had just stunned him for a moment but not in a romantic way. When he entered the class, he was so lost in thought that he failed to notice Cat's disappointed frown.

* * *

><p>"Are you okay man?"<p>

Beck tore his line of vision away from his school work to his best friend. Andre was watching him with obvious concern on his face. It was their study break, and it was one of the many classes they shared together. They sat in a corner away from all the other students in order to have their privacy. For the first couple of weeks, it was hard to be alone in that class due to all the girls crowding Beck since Jade wasn't there to scare them off but Andre managed to convince the girls it was their "bro time", and they seemed to respect that.

"That's a stupid question," Beck answered bluntly.

Andre sighed in response. He should have expected an answer like that. "Robbie's trying to get close to Jade."

At that, Beck snorted. "So?"

"Don't you care?"

"Not really."

Andre frowned a bit at that, but he could also see why Beck would respond in such a way. Robbie was a good friend and all, but he was terribly socially awkward and could come off as very annoying. Jade would never willingly befriend or talk to him. "Beck, we're going to have to talk about this eventually." Andre pressed.

"No we're not." He stubbornly replied.

"She hasn't been in the same room as you since the-" Andre tried finish but Beck sensed where he was bringing the conversation.

"Tiffany!" Beck exclaimed quite suddenly. Tiffany jumped a bit and blushed heavily when she realized who called her name. Giving a rather flirty smile, Beck asked, "Andre and I are having a little trouble with our homework. Would you mind helping?"

Blushing, she nodded quite eagerly and rushed over to their side. Andre rolled his eyes and frowned at Beck. _Manipulative bastard_, he thought to himself. Ever since the breakup, Beck's personality and aura darkened. It was slightly scary, and it exposed just how devious Beck could be if he put his mind to it. "What questions do you have?" Tiffany asked, scooting closer to her obvious crush.

"Well," he gave her a bright smile and asked. As the girl started explaining, Beck sent a glare over at Andre as though silently scolding him for bringing up a personal topic. Andre merely sighed and went back to his own homework. Perhaps he could try to talk about the breakup later when Beck was in a better mood.

* * *

><p>Jade sat by her locker during Sikowitz's class. Her notebook was wide open, and she was carefully cutting up pieces of paper with her favorite pair of scissors. As she released her frustration on the paper, her mind couldn't help but drift to the conversation she had with her father the night before. Closing her eyes tightly, she practically hurled the scissors on the ground and started clawing at the paper with her own hands. Tears came to the corner of her eyes, but she knew better than to actually cry in public. At least, without the protection of the janitor's closet which the janitor currently was sleeping in.<p>

She was Jade West, and she refused to expose any type of vulnerability to anyone.

"Jade?" a soft, fearful voice whispered. Her eyes snapped open, and her head whipped towards the voice.

She sneered, "First Robbie's following me around. Now you?"

Tori Vega flinched a bit but continued to walk forward. Sitting on the floor next to Jade, Tori handed her a notebook. "Here."

"What is this?" Jade frowned.

"All the assignments and notes you missed," Tori eyed her worriedly. "Sikowitz asks about you every day, you know."

Jade snorted. "That crazy old man. He doesn't mark me absent though."

A small smile crossed Tori's lips. "No, he doesn't." A silence fell over them after that. Jade picked up her scissors and placed them carefully in her lap while Tori merely watched her from the corner of her eye. "We're all worried about you, Jade."

That caused a sarcastic laugh. "I'm sure you are."

Tori frowned, leaning towards her. "We are! You haven't been to class since the… since _that _night, and you've been avoiding all of us! We're your friends Jade, and we want to make sure you're okay. You can't just shut us out like this!"

"Bullshit," Jade snarled, standing up and glaring down at Tori, who quickly stood up. "I'm not your friend, and you're not mine! You're just a whiney little girl who can't see what's right in front of her! You're ugly, and you can't sing! Why you even got in this school is beyond me."

"Jade—" Tori whispered, hurt filling her eyes, but she didn't care.

She continued, "I hate you and your acting and your voice and your damn friends! Fuck you, Vega. Fuck you."

And with that, she whirled around and stormed off leaving a gaping Tori. Somehow, Jade knew she made Tori cry but could care less. Tori was someone who could cry in public. The student body would comfort her as she cried and curse Jade for making her cry. If it was the other way around, and Jade was crying, they would all tear her into pieces for it.

Of course, as Jade was lost in thought, she bumped into the third last person she wanted to see (second person being Cat, and first person being Beck): Robbie. The nerd stumbled a bit and was about to stutter out an apology when he realized it was her. His eyes widened as he took in her appearance. In a way that was almost similar to Beck, he stepped forward and his expression morphed into one of concern. "Jade? Are you okay?" A pause. "Do you want to hear another joke?"

That was the tipping point. All of her frustration, sadness, betrayal, and heartache made her chest ache, and she just wanted someone to _listen_. Perhaps it was the offer of another cheesy joke that made her choose Robbie over Tori. Maybe it was the way that he looked at her with concern and not pity. Either way, she found everything spilling out of her mouth before she could help it. "What's wrong with you people? You all act as though you're all so worried about me and that you all care about me."

Robbie frowned. "Jade?"

"But you don't!" Tears came to her eyes. "When Beck dumped me, none of you bothered to chase after me! None of you bothered to call me or text me to see how I was or if I was okay. You just sat around a damn table and played a fucking card game! But the moment you people step into a public place, you act like doting, caring people! It's a fucking lie. You just want to show other people how brave you are for trying to care for the scary Jade West. You want to impress people by saying 'I tried to comfort her'. And you want to vilify me when I don't open up my heart right away. Why the fuck should I open up my heart to you people when you don't bother to help me in my moment of need?"

She was breathing heavily by the time she was finished with her rant, and tears were streaming down her cheeks and smudging her makeup. Robbie was staring at her with an open mouth, and she knew she officially scared him off. Instead, he gulped and answered, "I'm sorry."

"What?" she whispered, clearly surprised.

"I'm sorry I didn't help you when you needed it," he continued. The shocking part was he did look sorry. "I'm sorry I didn't text you or call you or anything when you were hurt. I never really thought it would hurt you, and I'm sorry for thinking that."

Jade quickly wiped away her tears and blushed. Crying in front of Robbie was probably the most embarrassing thing that's happened the entire day. "It's fine," she mumbled, as though playing the tough girl role would suddenly take back that obvious vulnerability she exposed to him.

"It's not," Robbie argued. He bit his lip and stared at her with obvious conflict behind his eyes. "Remember when I first started trying to get close to you and you yelled at me that this was some kind of bet or that I had some ulterior motive?"

Jade's eyebrows furrowed. "Yes?"

"I did." He blushed in embarrassment and regret. "I wanted to date Cat, and I heard that girls like it when their best friend and boyfriend get along. I thought if we became good friends then Cat would consider dating me. When you yelled at me, it made me realize that it wasn't fair on you. You're just… you're so tough and scary that it's hard to believe you can feel insecure. After you said that to me, I realized you have feelings too, and I wanted to be your friend for real after that."

"Why?" she breathed out.

"Because I know what it's like to be alone," he confessed sadly. "I know what it's like to be insecure, and I know what it's like to rely on a mask to shield people away. You pretend to be tougher and colder than you actually are, and I use a puppet."

She stared at him for what seemed like forever. Her green-blue eyes searched his face for any type of lie. Whatever she found, she seemed satisfied with it. That's when she turned around and simply walked away. As she did, Robbie pulled out his notebook from the pile of schoolwork he was carrying and opened up to a new page. He scribbled in a new, but vastly important, note.

_Jade West is far more sensitive than she seems. _

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading!<p>

Emily: In the next episode, Robbie and Jade get closer, and people start to wonder if they really are dating.

Alice: And Beck may seem to be very cold hearted, but you'll find out why later.

Emily: There will be hints of one-sided, past Jandre, but it won't be explored as much as some of my previous stories.

Alice: Please tell us what you thought! Did you like it? Hate it? Want me to update faster? Tell us!

Emily: Also, the "he did Nazi it coming" joke was something I found on Tumblr and thought went along with the characters, so I decided to use it. Here's the credit for the joke:

wondy-alice . tumblr post/ 94089855727/ jigglemyboobies-kushaw-jigglemyboobies


	8. Chapter 7

Alice: Happy Labor Day!

Emily: School starts tomorrow…

Alice: Which means I'm going to be taking a bunch of advanced classes (which stinks cause this is my last year of high school) and working.

Emily: I probably will not be updating as much.

Alice: I will try to make time for everything! Chances are I might be able to update this Saturday but I'm not too sure.

Emily: Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

Red flashed in his eyes before he could really process what was happening. When the cold, sticky substance trailed down his face, he knew immediately: he was "slushied". Ever since the show _Glee _came out, people had begun applying the bullying techniques on that show to the real life halls of Hollywood Arts. That made Robbie a target for such pranks, and today was no exception. Usually they never messed with him as Beck and Andre would instantly defend him, but he wasn't around them as often which made him vulnerable. "Loser!" a boy laughed, high fiving his friend as they walked away.

He was so lucky he arrived to school early and barely anyone was in the halls. Closing his eyes, he rushed towards the bathrooms since he knew the way by heart. Tears prickled at the corner of his eyes, but he held them in. As he burst through the door, he walked up to the mirror and flinched. His new shirt had a giant slushy stain on it. Sighing, he ripped his shirt off, being careful of his glasses, and laid it out on the sink. "Come on," he mumbled. "How could this day get any worse?"

"Robbie!" Jade's voice exclaimed. Blinking, he turned around to see Jade coming out of one of the stalls, her eyes looking a little red, and staring at him incredulously.

"Jade?" he frowned. "What are you doing in the boy's bathroom?"

She snorted. "Robbie, this is the girl's room. Didn't the lack of urinals and tampon machine over there give you the hint?"

Sure enough, Robbie glanced around and blushed realizing his mistake. Instead of giving her some sort of sassy retort or a cheesy joke, he just sighed and went back to his shirt, rubbing water on the stain. Jade must have noticed his lack of response and took a step towards him, studying him. Robbie only heard her walk away from him and pressed his lips together in a thin line. Looks like he was alone in the girl's bathroom. "Hey," Jade said, and Robbie's head snapped up.

She had locked the door to the girls bathroom and strutted over towards him. "What?" he frowned.

"I know how to get stains out," she offered.

Robbie narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why are you helping me all of a sudden?"

"I owe you for yesterday," she answered simply and pushed him out of the way. Grabbing the soap on the side, she began scrubbing it rather harshly and dunking it in the sink. "It won't get all of the stain out but it should be less noticeable."

"Thanks," he mumbled, watching as she cleaned his shirt. A silence settled between them, and it was actually quite awkward this time. Robbie briefly wondered if he should have brought Rex, who could have told some sort of joke, but he doubted Jade would appreciate that type of humor.

Both jumped when a loud knock was heard on the door. "Hello?" a girl shouted from the other side.

"We need to get in!" another girl pounded on the door.

Robbie and Jade glanced at each other and laughed. "Why do they all need to go to the bathroom so much?" he joked.

"Because they need to put on their makeup," she snorted.

"Don't you guys do that at home?"

"Oh but then we need to make the point of doing it again just in case," she replied in a joking tone. Handing him the wet shirt, she smirked. "I'll open the door before they get the janitor to unlock it. Put on your shirt."

"Thanks again," Robbie grinned only to grimace when he realized how wet his shirt was. As he was half way through slipping on his shirt, he overheard the girls gasp. He glanced up to see the girls gawking at him and he blushes.

"Come on nerd," Jade spoke up, and this time he could tell she was only lightly teasing him with the term "nerd". "We have class."

"R-right," he blushed, making his way through the whispering girls. He caught some strange, quite vulgar words as he left, but he decided to ignore it. After all, it's not like anyone would believe Jade and him did anything in a girl's bathroom.

"Robbie?" Jade spoke up again when they were in the middle of the hall. "Be careful. People can suck."

"Yeah," he agreed and watched as she walked away. He smiled and realized this was probably the nicest conversation they've ever had besides when they were making fun of Sinjin. Maybe they were getting somewhere.

* * *

><p>"I heard they were having sex," a girl, Beck forgot her name, whispered.<p>

"It wouldn't surprise me," another laughed, and the two continued to gossip. Beck listened closely, not understanding how they could come up with such rumors. It was everywhere that Robbie and Jade did _something_ sexual, but he highly doubted it. Yes, Jade and him did the deed more than a few times, but that didn't mean she would start having sex with Robbie. It just made no sense.

"I was there!" a third girl butted in. "The bathroom doors were locked and we kept hearing these weird noises behind it. Jade finally opened it, and Robbie putting on his shirt! They totally did something!"

Beck frowned at that story. At least it wasn't in the janitor's closet. Breakup or no breakup that was _their _spot. It was where they talked together, laughed together, did _things_ together. "I doubt those rumors are true," Andre whispered in his ear. The two were standing at his locker, and the girls were only a few feet away.

"I know," Beck snapped, slamming his locker shut making the girls jump. "Can we just go to class?"

Andre nodded, staring at him worriedly. "Sure man."

"Good," he mumbled, following his best friend to class. He glanced over at Jade, who was speaking to Cat about… whatever they spoke about. Briefly he wondered if Jade was going to class today but doubted it. As long as he was in the room, she wouldn't go in. Part of him felt guilty but…

It's not like this situation was his fault.

* * *

><p>Sikowitz was ranting on about something as he usually did. He had asked Robbie where Jade was, and Robbie simply shrugged. Normally the crazy teacher asked Cat, Beck, or even Tori. He wondered why it was him today but figured Sikowitz probably heard the rumors about how Robbie was hanging around Jade more often. His shirt had finally dried, and Jade was right about the stain. It was still there though not too noticeable. "Hold on one moment!" Sikowitz suddenly shouted then proceeded to walk out of the room.<p>

Everyone burst into conversation once he left, and Robbie slouched a bit in his seat. "Hey Robbie!" some girl went up to him. "I have to ask! Is it true Jade gave you a blow job this morning in the girl's bathroom?"

It was asked rather quietly, but the whole room went silent at the question. Robbie blinked. "What?"

"I heard she went down on you," a boy cut in, smirking.

"I heard you went down on her," another girl spoke out.

"Um…" Tori intervened. "Is this conversation really appropriate? Maybe we should talk about—"

"Was she good?" a smirking boy blurted out, and Robbie frowned. If he had bothered to glance in Beck's direction, he would have noticed how Beck was clenching his fists and openly growling at the smirking boy. No one bothered looking at him for once though.

"You guys are disgusting," Robbie glared at him.

Another classmate stated, "We're not! We just want to know if it's true!"

"That doesn't mean you have to gang up on me in the middle of class," he snapped, a sudden burst of bravery running through him. "If you guys are so curious, why don't you ask Jade?" At their silence, he continued, "Oh that's right. You guys are all terrified of her."

"She's a bitch!" a girl exclaimed, and Robbie recognized her as the same girl who made him run out of the classroom in tears. Not this time though.

"You're a bitch!" he shouted at her. "If you guys are so curious about sex, then why don't you all go fuck yourselves! It'd be a much better use of your time."

He stormed out of the classroom just as Sikowitz was coming back. The whole class was staring at him with their jaws dropped in pure shock. Robbie never acted out like that. All at once, whispers started going around about how he didn't deny any of the rumors and how he must be going to Jade. Cat merely stared at the ground in pure surprise. She really didn't have a chance. The entire time, she figured Jade was another one of Robbie's fleeting crushes like with Trina or Tori. Yet, he's never cursed at a whole class of people in their defense. He didn't even do that in her defense.

She was losing him, she realized. She was losing her crush to her best friend, and she might not ever be able to get him back this time.

* * *

><p>Robbie actually stopped in the middle of the hallway once he realized what he said. He's never stood up for himself before, and he's never reacted like that. Was it Jade's influence? Or was he just done with dealing with his bullies? Either way, he walked in the halls with a certain pride he's never had before. It was nice. Unfortunately that all came crashing down when he heard a cry.<p>

He was near the janitor's closet again, and he knew exactly who was crying in there. Last time, he refused to go in because he knew Jade would not allow him to see her like that. Yesterday, however, proved she was alright with confessing a bit of her feelings to him. Maybe that was a sign he could help her now? Well, maybe not help her but be there for her. His bravery in class worked to his favor, so this might work out too. Breathing in, he opened the janitor's closet door and quickly closed it behind him.

Jade's head snapped up, and he flinched at her glare. Makeup stained the tears running down her cheeks, and he nearly ran out due to the hatred in her gaze. Still he stood his ground and walked over to her, sitting down next to her. She was leaning against the wall with scissors, and she was cutting up some paper. Instead of saying anything, she just continued to glare at him. He gulped and blurted out, "I'm doing a project on hair dye."

Her glare morphed into an expression of confusion. "What?" her voice was hoarse from crying.

"Hair dye," he repeated. "Everyone seems to want it nowadays. I mean, you dyed your hair black, and Cat dyed hers red. That's two girls out of three in our friend group, and a lot of other girls and guys dye their hair. I figured why not."

"That's stupid," her voice was strong again and lacked any hint that she had been crying.

"Oh just wait until I get an A. Then who's stupid," he teased.

She smirked. "Still you."

Laughing, he smiled brightly at her, and she even returned it although her grin was much milder and her giggles were quieter. As their laughing died down, it became deadly silent once again. At least, until Jade blurted out, "I'm not going to tell you why I was crying."

"Yeah," he nodded. "I figured."

She glanced at him. "Then why bother coming in?"

"Because you're upset," he answered honestly. "If I can't comfort you on what's going on, I can at least give you some company. I already told you I know what it's like being alone. No one deserves that."

"Not even me?" her lip tipped upward in a tiny smile.

"You're my friend." He stated. They stared at each other for a bit, and he could see her clearly even in the barely light room. Although she didn't return the sentiment with words, he could tell she was thinking of him as a friend. When the bell rang, both jumped and instantly looked away from each other.

"Let's get out of here," she wiped her eyes and smudged makeup. He nodded and followed her out of the dark closet, squinting a bit at the light. As they walked down the halls together, people literally stopped and stared at them. Once they passed, they started whispering about how they were alone in the janitor's closet and what that might mean. Neither really cared though. Instead they just walked side by side without talking. "I'm going to class." She stated.

He nodded and a teasing smile broke out. "Do I get a hug?" he reached his arms out but gasped when he felt a very light punch to his gut. It didn't hurt at all, and the action surprised him more than hurt him.

"No," she grinned at him. Both laughed and said their goodbyes, parting with smiles on their faces.

Beck stood in the hallway, watching the exchange. He saw everything. From Robbie and Jade walking out of _their _spot, to them joking around, and to Jade's bright smile as they parted. His gaze abruptly left Jade's and searched out Robbie's retreating form.

His entire demeanor shimmered with barely held resentment as he watched the man who was slowly breaking Jade's walls.

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading!<p>

Emily: I love you guys!

Alice: Looks like Beck doesn't like their friendship.

Emily: Neither does Cat.

Alice: Tell us what you thought!


	9. Chapter 8

Alice: New chapter!

Emily: Sorry it took so long to update!

Alice: Time just flies.

Emily: Robbie and Jade will become closer in this chapter.

Alice: Thanks for all your lovely comments for this story! They make my day!

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

At this point, it wasn't surprising to see the curly haired nerd waiting at her locker like an obedient lap dog. What was surprising was the lack of annoyance that she associated with the action. Perhaps it was his understanding of her limits and how much she wishes to express to him. Beck never understood that, which would anger her, and Cat understood it too well, so she ended up no pushing past her anger and negativity at all. Robbie was the perfect in between of her best friend and her ex-boyfriend which was a slightly strange comparison. "Hey did you hear?" Robbie went up to her, concern in his eyes.

She frowned. "Hear what?"

"That guy who got his left hand chopped off," he whispered as though it were some big secret.

"No?" Jade furrowed her eyebrows. She's pretty sure she would have heard if a man's entire hand was chopped off. Strangely she's always found things along that subject fascinating. If she wasn't so dedicated with being a playwright, she would have been a surgeon. She's very sure of it.

"Oh well he's all right now." Robbie stated firmly, and Jade stared at him. And stared at him. And stared.

Until she snorted and covered her mouth to keep herself from giggling too loudly. She had a reputation to uphold after all. "What?" she gasped out, her stomach hurting. "That is so lame!"

"But you're laughing," Robbie grinned, laughing along with her.

"That is even worse than the Hitler one," she could barely help the laughing, and she smiled brightly at him. Yes, the annoyance was completely gone now. In fact, she could argue that she's quite fond of him now.

"Shut up," he teased. "You love my jokes."

"Sure I do," she replied in a playful, sarcastic manner.

"You do," he insisted. "I think you might actually be obsessed with these jokes."

"I think you might actually have looked those up on the Internet," Jade retorted, and before she knew it, they were walking to class together side by side. She could hear some people whispering slightly, but she couldn't care. Contrary to what Robbie might think, she was perfectly aware of the rumors about them, and frankly, she didn't care. Of all the things in the world to worry about, a stupid rumor about her and Robbie hooking up were the least of her problems.

"Maybe, but you still love them," he snickered. "Who would have thought? How to get into Jade's heart: not weapons, not goth stuff, and not even scissors. Just pun jokes."

"I can't have myself becoming predictable now, can I?" she smirked, and right before she could walk into class, a boy blocked their way. She groaned out loud at the sight of Sinjin standing before them with angry tears in his eyes. Honestly, what did the moron want now? If he gave her some stupid speech about how they were meant to be, she would kick him. Hard

"Sinjin?" Robbie asked hesitantly.

"Why are you hanging out with her?" Sinjin demanded harshly. "We had a deal!"

"Deal?" Jade questioned, raising her eyebrows. As Robbie paled, a nervous grip clutched her heart. What deal? Did it have to do with her? Of course it had to do with her! The fact that Robbie could have betrayed her actually made her terrified. The one boy who tried to befriend her might have done it under false pretense. What made it sting was that she was warming up to him.

"Sinjin, please," Robbie begged.

"No," Jade snapped harshly. "I wanna hear what he has to say. Sinjin?"

She said it in that voice that made grown men wet themselves. Sinjin froze up and nodded vigorously. "Robbie and I had a plan," Sinjin blurted out. "He asked me to make a website advertising your last play, and he said that if I did this, you'd probably love me. I asked what was in it for him, and he said he wanted to date Beck and that this would get you out of the way! But for some reason he started hanging out with you and not Beck. Why?"

Jade's mouth dropped open, and Robbie blushed heavily. "Dude," he whined. "GBF!"

Sinjin blinked. "What?"

"I'm like a gay best friend," he desperately wanted Rex right now to take away some of this humiliation. "Since I'm such good friends with her, I figured I'd put in the good word for you. Girls always listen to their best gay friends! It's a girl's law. Then when she fell for you, I'd let her know about my… thing… for Beck. Yeah."

"Oh!" Sinjin exclaimed, smiling happily again. "Alright! I'll let you work on your plan!"

With a wink, Sinjin happily skipped away leaving Robbie to face Jade alone. He slowly turned to her and braced himself for however she would react. "What the hell was that?" Jade sounded confused but about to laugh as well.

"Remember your play?" Robbie's face was still burning red. "I felt bad cause of the whole ultimate motive thing and how Tori kind of ruined one of your plays with her prom thing. I figured I could help you out, but I needed Sinjin to do it. I tricked him into making a website advertising your play, and I had to pretend I was in love with Beck to do it. Actually he's the one who assumed I was, and I just went along with it."

Jade stared at him for what seemed like a full minute but could only be a couple seconds before she burst out laughing and, quite literally, fell to the floor. Robbie's jaw dropped, as did the students in the halls, as Jade West laughed herself silly as she was on her knees on the dirty floors of Hollywood Arts. After a few seconds, Robbie joined her. Laughing like he's never laughed before, he fell back against the lockers and clutched his aching stomach. "Oh my God!" Jade cried out in between laughs. "Oh my God!"

Finally gaining ahold of herself, she shakily rose from the ground and wiped the side of her eye. Robbie couldn't tell if she had actually cried from laughing, and he didn't really care. As soon as his own chuckles died down, Jade beamed at him. "Thank you," she said, staring at him with appreciation and fondness. It was a look he's never seen up close before, and he couldn't help but smile back. Chances are he was looking at her with the same expression.

"For what?"

"Everything," she whispered. In a quick move, she kissed his cheek and walked to her class leaving a stunned Robbie. His fingers lightly pressed against the cheek she had just kissed and he smiled. He knew there wasn't anything romantic in the kiss, and Jade understood that he would know this. It was a purely platonic move to express her gratitude. With that same stupid grin on his face, he walked to his own class unaware of the whispers. Or perhaps he was aware and, like Jade, just chose to ignore them.

After all, stupid rumors weren't nearly as important as his blooming friendship with Jade.

* * *

><p>Jade chose to eat in the Black Box theater that day although she wasn't sure why she wanted to. Maybe she wanted to escape for a while, but the silence was eating away at her. Cat was there as well, but she was unusually quiet, and Jade was debating sending Robbie a text to come here and talk to the two of them. After all, it would be a win-win. Jade would talk to her kind of friend, and Cat could flirt with her crush. Now that she thought about it, Jade needed to remind herself to talk to Robbie about that. Maybe she could finally get those two together. "Are you okay?" Jade finally broke the silence. Her voice sounded like a typical, worried mother asking her small child a question, but she didn't care. As long as Cat was okay.<p>

"Yeah," Cat answered lightly.

It was a lie. "Are you sure?" Jade pressed. "Because if anything's wrong, you can tell me about it." She pressed her lips together and said nothing. "Cat?" Jade questioned again.

"I have to go," the normally bubbly girl stated, stiffly hopping down from the stage and walking swiftly out of the theater. Jade blinked in surprise and debated going after her but decided not to. Scowling at her food, she harshly bit into her sandwich and pondered why Cat couldn't trust her with something as important as what was bothering her.

"Everything alright?" Robbie's voice echoed through the theater. Jade blinked and saw the geek standing in the doorway, staring at her with concern.

"Yeah," Jade answered lightly, and she realized it was the same tone Cat used earlier. Either she was picking up bad lying from Cat or Cat was learning how to lie from her. It sounded fake to her ears though, so chances are it was the former. "Cat's just moody today, and she won't tell me what's wrong. You can go talk to her if you want. I know you like her."

Robbie blushed and glanced at the doorway behind him. What surprised Jade was how fast he made his decision. The decision shocked her even more. He strode up to the stage and sat on it with Jade, dangling his feet from the edge in a very similar manner to Jade. She stared at him questionably, and the boy just shrugged. "You need to talk to someone too."

Jade's eyes softened and a small smile came upon her lips. "Thanks."

"No problem. Now what's up?"

Without truly meaning to, Jade started discussing her and Cat's friendship in great detail. By the end of the conversation, she almost felt liberated by telling someone everything and having Robbie give her understanding comments and impressive advice on how to handle the situation. That was when Jade knew she could truly tell this boy anything.

* * *

><p>Cat burst out of the theater with tears in her eyes, barely noticing how Robbie brushed pass her to go into the room she just left. With her head angled down and eyes glaring at the floor, Cat wondered how it became like this. Jade truly deserved Robbie. She had seen the way the two were laughing together this morning, and it hurt. She never made Robbie laugh like that nor did she make Jade. Part of her wanted to detest Jade, but she couldn't. She was just too loving and motherly to her.<p>

They deserved to be happy, and Cat didn't want to be the one who came between them. That would make her an even worse friend than she already was. Still she could not be around them while they dated. It would hurt her too much. Maybe this is a sort of karma. For being a bad friend to Jade and not insisting on hearing her problems or comforting her, Cat was being replaced by a better, more attentive friend. For being very wishy-washy on the topic of dating Robbie and for leading him on without truly going through with anything, Cat's crush fell for her best friend.

So lost in thought, she didn't even notice the body until it hit her. "Cat?" Beck exclaimed in concern. Perfect.

"Beck," she grumbled, ripping herself from him.

He instantly noticed she was upset. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Cat snapped. "Nothing is wrong!"

He believed her about as much as Jade did. "Cat…" he whispered.

"No!" she hissed. "It's none of your business!"

Beck nodded and stared at her for a moment. "It's Robbie and Jade, isn't it?"

"No…" Cat weakly protested.

"It's okay," he mumbled understandingly. "I get it."

With just those three words, she broke down in tears. Beck was instantly there, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. As her knees dropped to the vacant hallway floor, he followed with the hug still intact. It reminded her of her brother before he went crazy, and it comforted her in a way. She felt safe and warm for the first time in a long time. Maybe this is why Jade trusted him so much. If all his hugs were like this… if he was always so understanding… she could see why Jade… Jade…

She tore herself from his arms and backed away from him. Her breaths were coming out ragged and tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. "You stay the hell away from me," she whispered hoarsely before rushing off.

If she had bothered to look behind her, she would have seen that Beck was crying as well.

* * *

><p>Alice: Tell me what you think!<p>

Emily: Happy New Year to all my Jewish readers!

Alice: Enjoy the holidays!

Emily: Love you guys!


	10. Chapter 9

Alice: A couple people asked if Beck and Cat were going to be a couple at all.

Emily: The answer, for anyone else wondering that, is no.

Alice: Much like Robbie and Jade, Beck and Cat will have a very close friendship but will never develop any feelings other than friendship for each other.

Emily: Just wanted to clarify that! Below this I will put the official list of any sort of relationships in this story.

Alice: And I mean all of them. Just so no one thinks this is a Bat or Rade story and is disappointed.

Emily: In the meantime enjoy the chapter.

* * *

><p>ALL OFFICAL PAIRINGS: Bade romance. Cabbie romance. Rade friendship. Bat friendship. Cade friendship. Hinted pre-Tandre. Hinted/past/one-sided Jandre.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

"Irony!" Sikowitz beamed at his students. "What happens when the unexpected happens! There are three types of irony. Can anyone name all of them?"

The students stared blankly at him, and Robbie had to hide a small smile. They clearly weren't used to him actually teaching vocabulary and terms. Sure, they knew what irony was but the types? Even Tori appeared stumbled by the question, and she was a shining student. Although judging by Beck's tiny smirk and Cat's stifled giggle, they knew exactly what the types were. That might be due to Jade as she was a playwright and needed to know anything to do with drama.

"Come on!" Sikowitz whined. "The three types of irony!"

"Situational, verbal, and dramatic." The whole class turned to see Jade standing in the doorway, smirking proudly. As she walked down the center of the room, she continued, "Verbal irony is when someone says the opposite of what they mean." She made her way towards Robbie and the girl sitting next to him. "For example," she smiled sweetly at the girl, "I really appreciate you being in that chair. It is not inconvenient for me in anyway."

The girl gulped and shakily stood up, walking to a different seat in the room. "Dramatic irony," Jade continued, plopping down in her seat, "is when the audience knows something the characters do not. An example? Any of Shakespeare's plays. The guy loves dramatic irony. Situational irony is when the ending of something is unexpected. Like me actually showing up to this class."

Sikowitz gave Jade the largest grin Robbie has ever seen. His whole posture and expression brightened, and he exclaimed happily, "Jade! Welcome back!"

Jade gave the teacher a tiny smile and slowly turned to Robbie, giving him a very similar smile. "Good to be back."

Robbie couldn't help but grin at her as well. Since they were too busy smiling at each other, they didn't notice how Beck was staring at them, confused and hurt. Or how Andre was staring at them with open-mouthed as though it were the most scandalous thing he had ever seen. Cat didn't look at them at all, and Tori was staring at Robbie with jealousy. Of all the times she attempted to befriend Jade, none of them worked. What made Robbie so different? What did he do? Sighing, she leaned back on her chair and decided to ignore it.

"I'm glad that you're back," Robbie whispered to her as Sikowitz began teaching again. Funnily enough his voice was more eccentric and the amount of strange gestures he made increased. It was as though a new burst of energy ran through him.

"It's because of you," she replied honestly, and Robbie blushed slightly.

Their little moment was interrupted by Sikowitz, who asked Jade to play Lady Macbeth in a scene that exemplified dramatic irony. Smirking, Jade stood up and walked onto the stage looking happier than Robbie's seen in a long time. As she began acting, Robbie was captivated by it and did not look away.

He was truly happy Jade was his friend.

* * *

><p>Jade plopped herself down on the spot next to Robbie at the lunch table. Luckily he knew to sit alone, so she could sit with him. Both had an unspoken understanding that Jade would decide how close in distance she became with Beck, not him. So, if he built up enough distance between himself and Beck, she would approach him freely. "'Sup nerd." She smirked at him.<p>

"Nothing freak," he replied in the same tone.

Snorting, she bit into her food and began talking, "Who you calling freak, geek?"

Robbie blinked. "Did you mean for that to rhyme or was that just an accident?"

"I don't know," she gave him a tiny smile. "You figure it out."

"I will."

"Good."

"Good."

Both laughed a bit, and Robbie had to admit he was surprised by the amount of comfort she was showing him. What had changed? Yesterday she would have been willing to give him little moments of her laughter and jests, but he would need to start them first. Today she approached him twice. Part of him desired to ask, but he knew that could end up disastrous, so he decided not to. Instead, he blurted out, "Want to see a movie this weekend? _Wicked Ways_?"

She stared at him for a long moment and smiled softly. "I'd like that."

"Cool," Robbie beamed and pulled out his phone from his pocket. Going on the Internet, he showed her pictures of the movie and how it would appeal to the both of them. It was the same conversation from a while ago, he briefly recalled. This time, though, he asked her as a friend and not for a plot. This time she agreed. As he rambled about the movie, she joined in the conversation and laughed with him.

It was quite nice for the both of them.

Outside of their perspectives, however, onlookers stared in confusion and interest. Andre scoffed at the scene and shifted his attention to his table. Tori appeared to not even notice what was going on, and Cat refused to even glance in that direction. Beck harshly stabbed his food, not bothering to even pretend he was happy about the situation. Tori eventually broke the silence by joking, "You're going to kill your food."

Beck's hand motion stopped, and he glared at her. "So?"

She flinched and was about to reply with some lame punchline when Cat intervened, "Why are you so angry?" It wasn't out of concern, like Tori would have expected; in fact, it sounded like an accusation.

"You know why." The plastic fork snapped in half from Beck's grip.

"You have no right to be angry," she retorted.

Tossing the two pieces of the fork on the table, Beck met her gaze with fury. "You should be happy for your best friend since she looks so happy."

Her lips pressed together in a thin line, and her complexion began to pale. Still, she took the insult and did not expose any expression on her face. "You're a horrible boyfriend. No wonder you're an ex."

"You're a horrible best friend," he countered rather loudly. Not enough to break Jade and Robbie's attention from each other, but just enough to earn a few audience members. "No wonder Jade doesn't go to you for advice."

It was a low blow, and they both knew that. Abruptly standing up, Cat rushed off without another word, and Beck stubbornly went back to picking at his food with his hands. At the awkwardness radiating from his table members, he looked up again and frowned. Andre was staring at him in disappointment. Sighing, Beck left the table and went to follow Cat.

* * *

><p>Cat dashed into the Black Box theater. First, she paced around in frustration and helplessness. He was right. Beck was right. Clutching her hair and tugging it, she attempted to quell the self-doubt and insecurity from her heart but could not. She <em>loved<em> Robbie. Loved him more than anything, and she thought he was realizing he loved her as well. Not in the way he claimed to love those other girls he flirted with because he was desperate but actual love.

She should be happy for Jade. Her best friend is happier now after the breakup. She should be cheering them on. Instead she was desperately hoping they would fight and break whatever relationship they had. If her wish was granted, Jade would be heartbroken, and she would be the worst friend to ever come into existence.

Yelling in frustration, she grabbed the nearest chair and hurled it against the wall, effectively breaking it. She crumbled to the floor and sobbed, makeup staining her cheeks. "Cat?" Beck's soft voice echoed in the theater. Shooting up to her feet, she snarled at the boy.

"It's your fault!" she shouted. He didn't open the door. He didn't go after Jade. He broke up with her! "It's your fault! You did this!"

Beck flinched, rubbing his hands together awkwardly as he tried to hold back his own tears. Yes, this was his fault. If he didn't make that stupid comment about how she was a bad friend, she wouldn't be in tears, alone. He was the cause for her breakdown, and the guilt of it overwhelmed him. "I know," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Get out," she screamed. "Get out! Get out! _GET OUT!_"

He ran out.

She collapsed to the floor sobbing.

* * *

><p>Alice: Kind of a short chapter. Sorry.<p>

Emily: The next chapter will most likely be longer.

Alice: Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Emily: Your reviews make my day!


	11. Chapter 10

Alice: New chapter!

Emily: I hope you all like it. It provides some backstory to Jade.

Alice: It's no secret that Sikowitz is Jade's favorite teacher, so I decided to put that into account in this story.

Emily: Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 10<span>**

Robbie and Jade attempted to stifle their laughter as they strolled out of the theater. Correction, Robbie was trying to be polite and hide his laughter, and Jade was just laughing. When they met up at the movie theater, it was a little awkward at first since it was their first outing on their own together. After a while, they bought the tickets and sat down to watch the supposedly great movie. Instead Jade ended up disturbing the whole theater with her cackling and Robbie even let loose a couple of his own giggles. By the time the movie was over, people were glaring at them for ruining the terror aspect of the film.

They didn't really care.

"Oh my God," Jade gasped. "It was so bad!"

"Why did that get good reviews?" Robbie wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes. "The acting was awful."

"'No Father'", Jade recited the protagonist in a monotone voice. "'Do not kill my fiancé! She's the only woman I've ever loved! Fight the chip in your brain!'"

Robbie started laughing again and recited, "'No! My father has been infected by the technical chips! Whatever shall we do?'"

"Oh I know!" Jade pretended to be the character. Instead of citing a line from the movie, she just started parodying him. "Let's just carve into his brain and get the chip out. We do have no experience with brain surgery whatsoever. How could anything go possibly wrong? Oh wait, my dad died! How could that have happened?"

"Honestly, you'd think big Hollywood writers would try harder," Robbie snorted. "They should have taken advice from you. Your plays are really bloody but at least there's a logical reason for it."

"Thank you," Jade mockingly bowed. "Finally someone see's!"

Laughing, they continued to walk down the road and ended up sitting on one of the benches. Still discussing the movie, Robbie continued, "There was one good part about the film though."

"Really?" Jade raised an eyebrow. "I didn't see it."

"The romance between Maria and Howard," he explained. "They did have pretty good chemistry, and their acting was believable when they were around each other."

Jade tilted her head to the side, thinking about it, "I guess."

"It was cute how Howard kept standing by Maria's side even after she went behind his back by letting the enemies go," he stated. "And their banter was pretty funny. I really did believe they were in love."

Instead of agreeing, Jade just scowled. "How do you know? Maybe Howard will change his mind and leave Maria to the crazy robots trying to take over people's minds."

"What?" Robbie blinked in surprise.

"It wouldn't be that shocking," Jade ranted. "I mean, they always leave. Every single one of them. Maybe Howard and Maria aren't meant to be, and Howard should just go fuck himself!"

Robbie paused. "Um, are we still talking about the movie?" Jade scoffed but didn't say anything prompting Robbie to edge closer to her. Unlike the times in the janitor's closet, she didn't look close to crying. Rather, she glared at the ground as though it were the source of her problems, and her silence suggested she regretted bringing the topic up. "You don't have to talk about it, you know."

Jade glanced at him and sighed, her shoulders slouching. Leaning back on the bench, she stared into Robbie's eyes. "I loved him, you know."

"I know."

She leaned her head on his shoulder and took a deep, calming breath. In response, Robbie wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a semi-hug. Both remained there, pondering over thoughts of the ones they loved without speaking. Somehow, though, being in each other's presence made the pain less bitter.

* * *

><p>Sikowitz was ranting about acting and reacting, and Robbie could barely focus. It had been two days since Jade and him hung out, and he couldn't stop thinking about what happened. Clearly Jade needed to talk to someone about Beck, but she didn't know who to trust. Previously he would have just pressed the matter, but he now understood that did not work. He even wrote in his "Jade journal" that pressing the matter will only make her more resistant to telling it.<p>

Maybe if he confessed how he was feeling about Cat? Would that prompt her to trust him as they were in similar situations? Although Cat and him never dated. They just kissed once. It was entirely different to a two year relationship. "Robbie!" Sikowitz exclaimed, and Robbie jumped in surprise. "You are staying after class with me."

"What?" Robbie exclaimed. He didn't do anything!

"No questions," he beamed.

Jade snickered and leaned over, whispering, "What did you do this time, nerd?"

"Nothing!" his voice went higher in pitch as he defended himself.

"Clearly you did something," she smirked. "Maybe I should call you rebel instead."

"No."

"Oh I think I'm going to."

"I prefer geek to that."

"Little rebel. Has a nice ring to it."

"I'm taller than you!"

"Yet still smaller."

"Jade!" Robbie and Sikowitz exclaimed at the same time.

She smiled cheekily. "Yes?"

"Come up and perform this scene please," Sikowitz asked rather politely. Jade nodded and walked onto the stage with some kid from their class. Although Jade hasn't been back to class for too long, Robbie still noticed how Sikowitz did not make her perform with Beck. When they were dating, Jade and Beck performed many acting parts together in the class. Perhaps Sikowitz understood what happened during the breakup and how the two did not want to be friends. Still, Robbie thought sadly, it would have been nice if she and Beck could have remained on friendly terms. "Alright!" Sikowitz's voice interrupted his thoughts. "You're done! Class dismissed except for Robbie."

Sighing, Robbie remained in his spot as the class exited the room. Although he noticed Jade and Beck eyeing him strangely as they walked out. Somehow they still did not manage to come five feet near each other even without looking. They were quite gifted at finding each other and staying away from each other. "Robbie," Sikowitz plopped down on the chair beside him. "How are you?"

"Good?" Robbie said although it sounded like a question. "Is there a reason I'm here?"

"Yes!" he beamed proudly. "There is a reason for everything I do! I wanted to tell you a story."

"A… story?"

"Yes! A great story filled with love and sorrow," Sikowitz dramatically threw up his arms. "It begins with a lonely old man. You see, this lonely old man was a teacher in a faraway school. He taught teens how to pretend to be someone else."

_So you_, Robbie thought but did not interrupt his story.

"The old man was very lonely," he continued as though telling this story to a child. "He went home to an empty house, awoke to an empty bed, and ate at an empty table. He always pretended he was happy, but he was not. Until one day a little girl broke into his classroom."

_What?_

"She was a rebellious little thing," a nostalgic smile crossed his lips. "It was after school hours, so no one noticed her, and she crawled through the window. The teacher tried to kick her out but the little girl refused. She claimed she loved pretending and writing and wanted to see the famous school at least once. When the teacher asked her why she couldn't ask her parents to let her go to the amazing school, she said her father thought those talents were a waste of time. The teacher felt quite bad for the girl, and he showed her around the school."

_The little girl is Jade. _Robbie didn't know much about Jade's relationship with her father. All he knew was that she wrote an entire play based upon the terrible relations, and she talked about it once with Tori. Even then, she only stated her father hated her and the arts. Tori appeared to fear and hate the man though, and it was hard for Tori to really hate anyone. Robbie shuddered and hoped he never met him.

"At the end of the day, the old man felt quite good, and he fell asleep peacefully. The next day after school, the little girl came back and asked for the teacher to show her some of the techniques the school taught. He decided to do so. She continued to come back every single day, and the two would talk about almost everything. The old man began to see her as a daughter, and the little girl even told him she wished he was her father," Sikowitz continued, and Robbie stared at him in surprise. It was no secret Sikowitz was Jade's favorite teacher, and Jade was Sikowitz's favorite student. But that was the reason for it?

"The little girl grew up and wasn't so little anymore," he continued. "She managed to convince her real father to let her to go the school, and the old man was very excited. They continued to meet and talk every day, and that's when the teacher noticed something. A boy was following the girl around and trying to become her friend. He also noticed that the girl started to slowly appreciate the boy."

_Beck_, Robbie thought firmly. _Definitely not me. _

"They began to date, and the girl was the happiest the old man has ever seen. He rather liked that boy as well. They dated for two years, and the teacher thought they would last forever. Until something rather unexpected happened," Sikowitz frowned sadly.

"They broke up," Robbie accidentally stated out loud.

Sikowitz nodded. "The teacher did not know the circumstances of the breakup, but he knew that the girl was no longer happy. She ceased visiting him and even avoided going to his classroom. The teacher was very worried about her and was slowly becoming the sad old man he was before. Until another boy came into her life. Instead of dazzling her with love and relationships, he offered her a friendship of equal standing, unlike the one she was already in with an energetic redhead. This helped her, and she started talking to the old man again."

Robbie's lips parted in surprise, and Sikowitz stated in the most serious expression he's ever seen on him, "Thank you, Robbie."

Gulping, he nodded. "You're welcome."

Smiling, the teacher stood up and happily shouted, "You are dismissed!"

Robbie nodded and hurriedly grabbed his bag, rushing out of the room. Right as he opened the door, he slammed into another body. "Ow! Watch it, geek," Jade exclaimed, rubbing her arm.

"Jade!"

"Me!" Jade retorted in the same tone. Robbie chuckled making Jade's body relax. "What did he want?" she asked inquisitively.

Robbie shrugged and lied, "Not much. Want to get some coffee?"

"Yes," she exclaimed, immediately distracted. "Two sugars."

"Let's go then," Robbie held out his arm which she happily took. As they walked, she rambled about the greatness of coffee in the world, and Robbie listened intently. The story Sikowitz told him was still in the back of his mind, but he wouldn't bring it up to Jade just yet.

Neither noticed a figure standing by the door, watching the two chatter with a desperate look in his eye. Beck reluctantly took a step towards them, about to interrupt, but shut his mouth. Instead he turned around and abruptly stormed into the classroom. Sikowitz jumped, clearly not expecting anyone else to walk in. "Jade? Is that… Beck?!"

"Hi," his voice cracked. "Can I… um… can I talk to you?"

Sikowitz nodded. "Of course. Sit down."

Beck sat on the plastic chair and squirmed. Sikowitz merely stared at him, knowing it would take some time before Beck could confess everything. He needed to confront it first. From the corner of his eye, Sikowitz also noticed Andre standing there, staring at the scene with a helpless expression. He tried to stop himself from sighing. It seemed that the happier Jade became, the more distraught Beck was. Not just Beck but possibly the rest of their friends. It was in that moment Sikowitz was unsure of whom to route for. Yes, he wanted Jade to be happy but not at the cost of other people. He just wished Jade and Beck would get back together.

Life was simpler then.

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading!<p>

Emily: Enjoy your day!

Alice: Good luck with school!


	12. Chapter 11

Alice: New chapter.

Emily: This will have some Cat and Beck bonding.

Alice: I have no intention of setting them up! Beck and Cat will not crush on each other nor will they date.

Emily: I only want to emphasize that because this chapter is going to end with a huge indicator that they might develop feelings. Don't worry! They won't.

Alice: Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 11<span>**

Robbie stared quizzically at Jade, who was devouring her ice cream as though it were some godly substance. Honestly this girl continued to surprise him. He expected her to like dark, twisted things that would make everyone around her uncomfortable. Instead she laughed at corny jokes, loved ice cream, and had an addiction to coffee. It sounded like any other teenager! The only difference was her dark sense of humor but that was it! "What?" she asked, frowning as he stared at her.

"Why didn't you tell me about you and Sikowitz?" he blurted out and ignored her shocked expression.

She snorted. "I don't tell you a lot of things."

He ignored her comment. "Are you going to start visiting him again now?"

"Maybe," she halfheartedly shrugged. "I miss him, so I probably will. I just needed some time to adjust to everything before I went to him. He'd ask questions."

He nodded in understanding. "I think you should."

Instead of agreeing, or disagreeing, she groaned and gave him an annoyed glare. "Why don't you ask questions?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you don't ask questions! Not about Beck or Cat or anything. If I told Beck what I told you, he wouldn't tell me his opinion. He'd just ask 'what kind of questions' or something stupid like that. When I'm upset, he asks what's wrong. Or he used to," she bit her lip at that but continued anyway. "Sikowitz asks questions. You… you don't."

"Would you answer me honestly if I did?" Robbie watched her carefully as she considered this.

"Some of them I would," she answered rather truthfully. "Other's I wouldn't."

"There you go," he replied. "I don't want to put you in a position where you're faced with a question you don't want to answer."

Jade appeared to be considering this as she stared at him. Truthfully Robbie was unsure whether or not his lack of questions was a good thing or a bad. He supposed in some scenarios it would be necessary, and with that in mind, he pictured Beck. The handsome boy never seemed to be too pushy. In fact Jade seemed more pushy in their relationship than he did, so Robbie guessed if Beck was continually asking questions about a topic, it was out of worry. "Sikowitz is a better father than mine," Jade interrupted his thoughts.

Robbie frowned, unsure of how to reply. "I'm sorry to hear about that."

Jade nodded and crossed her arms, carefully maneuvering her ice cream so it wouldn't stain her clothes. "You shouldn't be. I went to Hollywood Arts that day to see what it was like because I wanted to be a singer. I broke into his classroom, and I just kept coming back. He was really weird but he had a good heart and he was original. My father is the exact opposite of him. I think the only time I've ever seen him happy at something I did was during that play."

He knew the play she was talking about. Tori told the group her father was terrifying and frowned at Jade when he said he liked the play. She described how Jade said that was the happiest she'd seen her father, and Tori admitted how that made her pity Jade. Of course, Cat and Beck were nowhere around when she said that, and it made Robbie wonder what they thought of her father. "Your play was good," Robbie reassured her. "It just sounds like your father doesn't know how awesome his daughter is."

Jade gave an ironic smile at that, but Robbie was unsure of what it meant. "Come on loser," Jade grabbed his hand and dropped her ice cream into a nearby trashcan. "We're going shopping."

"_Mean Girls_? Really?"

"It's a classic," she innocently smiled.

* * *

><p>It was always so tense with Beck nowadays. Andre tried thinking of the last time Beck and him actually had fun when they were hanging out, but the only memory he could conjure was before the breakup. He sighed and rubbed his forehead, and luckily Beck did not comment on it. He probably assumed it was the Shakespeare homework. Currently both boys were in his RV doing schoolwork, and it was filled with an eerie silence.<p>

Which was abruptly broken by Beck, who said, "Jade and Robbie are dating."

Andre didn't even look up. "That's just a rumor. You even said it was impossible."

"Well I was wrong!" Beck snapped causing Andre to flinch and look at the angered boy. "When I started dating Jade, Sikowitz made me stay after class so he could give a big speech about how he would hurt me if I hurt Jade. He asked Robbie to stay after too and that must have been why!"

"What?" Andre frowned. "Why would Sikowitz—"

"It doesn't matter!" Beck hurled his homework onto the floor. "You were right! You said that Robbie and Jade were getting close, and I said there was no way it was going to happen. Well now it's happened!"

"Beck…"

"What does he even have to offer her?" he continued to rant. "He's crazy awkward, his puppet is annoying, he's desperate for a girlfriend, and he probably can't satisfy her anyway! Not emotionally and sure as hell not in bed either. I was a good boyfriend!" He shouted, furiously pointing to himself. "I took care of her, and I listened to her, and I fought for her, and I loved her! Dammit Andre, I still love her!"

Tears spilled onto his cheeks, and his fists were curled up. Andre betted that his fingernails were digging so far into his palm that it might be drawing blood. "Maybe it's for the best?" Andre said in a softened voice.

"How could this possibly be for the best?" Beck sniffed looking so vulnerable and angry at the same time.

"You two always fought," he stated, "and she was always really jealous of everyone around you. Maybe this just means you should go for someone else who is more compatible with you."

Beck shook his head, giving Andre an almost disappointed sigh. "The first girl that ever flirted with me said I had awesome hair."

"What?"

"The second girl said I had great arms," Beck continued regardless of his friend's confusion. "Soon I got compliments on my body and on my face. I eventually got the memo that I was pretty attractive. They saw a perfect face and expected a perfect personality, so that's what I tried to be. Perfect guys need to be nice, charming, helpful, and funny. I became this perfect guy, and girls used to ask me out all time cause of it. Whenever I met a girl for the first time, they'd flirt or compliment me."

"Beck, I don't think this has anything to do with—" Andre began but Beck acted as though he didn't speak.

"You want to know what the first thing Jade ever said to me was?" Beck asked but clearly it was a rhetorical question. "Why are you trying so hard to be someone you're not. That's when I realized she was the one. Does she have jealousy issues? Yeah. Does she jump to conclusions a lot and refuse to talk about her problems? Definitely. She's far from perfect, but so am I. I push too hard sometimes, and I can boss her around too often. I do flirt a lot, and I am really easy to provoke. We have a lot of flaws but it never mattered before."

"Beck," Andre fidgeted, unsure of what to make of this sudden confession. "If you really love her, why don't you just fight for her?"

"I have," he mumbled. "I fought to become her friend. I fought for her trust. I fought to date her, and I fought to keep her. I think I got so used to fighting on her behalf that I eventually just started fighting her. Andre, I'm so tired of fighting. Instead I just want to talk, but she won't hear it."

Andre didn't know how to comfort him or even what to say. Instead he ended up just staring pitifully at him and silently praying for the best.

* * *

><p>Tori groaned as her sister started to sing again. When she invited Cat over to hang out, this was not what she had in mind. Trina hated every single one of her friends with only two exceptions. Beck was clearly one because she harbored a giant crush on the boy, and Cat was the other although Tori was unsure of when this fondness came to pass. "Gossip time!" Trina sang out. "Anything juicy?"<p>

"Well—" Tori started but, as usual, her sister interrupted.

"Oh no one cares Tori!" Trina scoffed before turning to Cat. "Is it true Robbie and Jade are dating?"

It was amazing how quickly Cat could go from looking so happy to so upset. Trina appeared to notice and frowned, but Tori quickly butted into the conversation before Trina could say anything to make it worse. "No," Tori affirmed. "They haven't said anything yet, and it's just a bunch of stupid rumors people say to keep themselves distracted from their stupid lives."

"Yeah," Cat mumbled.

"I guess it doesn't matter how Jade's dating," Trina tried to subtly change the subject, noticing the redhead's distress. "As long as Beck's free!"

Tori rolled her eyes. "Seriously Trina?"

"Yes!" Trina exclaimed. "I'm so lucky Beck dumped her. Honestly, he could have done so much better. All she ever did was yell at him and start fights."

"That's not true!" Cat angrily retorted. "Beck didn't deserve her. All he did was flirt around with other girls in front of her and boss her around like she was some child!"

Both girls then expectantly looked at Tori as though willing her to agree with one of their opinions. Tori shrugged, "Honestly? It's both of their faults."

"What?" Trina exclaimed.

"How could you say that?" Cat scowled.

"Beck should have opened the door," Tori stated. "He shouldn't have ended things so quickly, but it's not like Jade had no part in it. He clearly wanted to sit down and have a conversation about why they were fighting so much, but Jade wouldn't listen to him. Instead she pulled off that door stunt." She looked directly at Cat as she said, "I want them to get together again, but I also want Jade to be my friend. Some things just aren't going to happen."

Trina blinked. "That's an oddly mature way of looking at things."

"Thank you," Tori did a mocking bow before glancing at Cat again. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she sniffed. "I just… um… I need to head home. It's almost my bedtime."

"You want me to drive you?" Trina offered, rubbing her arm in a comforting manner.

"I'm fine," Cat smiled softly. "It's close by."

"Alright," the two sisters glanced at each other, both reluctant to let her go. Either way, it was her wish. Cat eventually collected her things and walked out the door. Tori's words continued to run through her head, and she tried to think of moments where Jade expressed times when she wanted to talk to Beck about their relationship issues. Unfortunately Cat could think of none. Alongside Tori's speech were Beck's comments about how she was an awful friend. The two slowly started to combine, and she was left clueless. Was it her job to tell Jade what to do in her relationship? Should she have intervened when Beck didn't open the door? When Jade even suggested the ending to their relationship should be left to the decision of a door opening?

By the end of her thoughts, her feet were swollen and she was sobbing. As she stared at the door in front of her, she realized it was definitely not her house. It wasn't even a house. She shakily raised a hand and knocked on the door.

Beck opened it and gasped at what he saw. "Cat?" he squinted his eyes to peer through the darkness.

"I'm sorry," Cat sobbed. "I didn't… I was just…"

Instead of turning her away, he softly grabbed her hand and led her inside of the RV. "It's alright."

That night they fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

><p>Alice: BECK AND CAT ARE IN NO RELATIONSHIP WHATSOEVER!<p>

Emily: I know the ending implies they are something to each other, but Beck sees Cat as a younger sister.

Alice: They just platonically cuddled.

Emily: Thanks for reading!


	13. Chapter 12

Alice: Sorry I've been away so long!

Emily: It's my last year of high school, so I've had to apply to a bunch of colleges while trying to get good grades. Writing fanfiction ended up being put on hold. Sorry about that.

Alice: But it's summer now, so it doesn't matter anymore! Happy summer!

Emily: And here's you're lovely new chapter!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 12<span>**

Beck sighed, running his fingers through Cat's red hair. He didn't know how to start the conversation that they definitely needed to have, so he remained quiet. It was strange having Cat in his RV again and even stranger that they were cuddling like a couple. Of course, it didn't mean anything to him, and he's completely sure it means nothing to her. Instead it was just a nice moment where they could be comforted and feel loved for once even if it was platonic. "I guess we should start talking about Robbie during our little 'I'm worried about Jade' sessions," he blurted out.

Cat giggled and shifted her body so she was lying on her side, facing him. "Definitely," she smiled. "Maybe we can ask Rex for commentary?"

Beck burst out laughing and grinned at her. "I'm sure he'll have so much to offer our little group."

"He's so wise," she smiled.

"And charming. Don't forget charming," he chuckled. They continued to laugh, enjoying the moment of levity before their laughter died down and transformed into an awkward silence.

Beck began playing with the edge of his shirt while Cat examined the tips of her hair with particular care. The two didn't know how to start the very serious conversation, and neither wanted to be the one who broke silence first. It ended up becoming Beck once again, "You know, we've never really talked unless Jade was the subject."

"That's not true," Cat stated firmly.

"Yes it is," Beck sighed. "I mean, we talk but we never really talk, you know? It's always about goofy things that we don't really care about because other than Jade, we don't have much in common to really discuss."

It was true. When Cat and Beck spoke to each other, it was always a very shallow conversation with a topic that neither cared much about but pretended to anyway. They were friendly, yes, but their friendship was not nearly as profound as their relationships with Jade, their only connection. Thinking of this now, Cat sighed. "It's kind of sad that we do that. I think we'd get along pretty well."

"I think we would too," he smiled encouragingly.

She nodded, intertwining her hair around her fingers. "You know… I used to always go to Jade when I had a problem or Robbie if I couldn't talk to Jade. Now I can't."

"What about Tori?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "Tori doesn't understand. She always thinks she does, but she doesn't."

"I get it," he nodded. "Andre's the same way."

"Want to be friends then? For real this time?"

Beck smiled softly. "Yeah, I'd like that."

The two smiled at each other, contently relaxing on Beck's bed. While they agreed upon a friendship, there was an underlying message both understood without needing to speak about it. No matter what, they would not discuss or even mention the breakup. The two stood at directly opposite ends in regards to that event, and the mention of it could destroy the harmony the two had only just reached.

* * *

><p>Robbie mockingly glared at Jade from across the table at Nozu. Jade had decided she wanted fish and demanded Robbie come with her to Nozu. At the time, Robbie was dressing Rex up in a handsome outfit that he was quite proud of, so he asked her if he could take him out. Jade immediately replied no and claimed if he dared take that puppet to Nozu, she would walk out. Not wanting to risk that, Robbie left Rex at home. While he wasn't upset about it, he still liked messing around with Jade, so he pretended to be angry about it.<p>

"It's just a stupid puppet," she rolled her eyes, knowing perfectly well he was only joking.

"He is my best friend," Robbie acted offended.

She snorted. "Please. I'm your best friend not some dumbass inanimate object."

Robbie opened his mouth to retort but instead blinked. "Wait, you're my best friend?"

The goth instantly blushed and glared at him as though it were somehow his fault he said that. "Well? Aren't I?"

"Y-yeah," his smile was so big that his cheeks actually ached. "You are!"

"Good," she smiled, looking down at her noodles in a satisfied manner.

"And that makes me your best friend?"

"Don't push it."

_In Jade language, _that means yes. Robbie smiled making Jade roll her eyes. Just as he was about to speak, the bell on the door rung signaling there were new customers. With the way Jade was looking at them, they were people she knew. Curious, Robbie turned around to see Andre and Tori walk in by themselves. "It's Tori and Andre," he stated.

"Really?" she gasped, mocking surprise. "No way!"

"Shut up," he teased. "We should invite them to sit with us."

"Or we could not?"

"Please?"

"…Ugh. Fine."

Smiling, Robbie turned towards his two friends and waved at them. "Tori! Andre! Over here!"

The two glanced at them and instead of walking over, started whispering to each other. Robbie slowly lowered his hand, his smile disappearing from his face. Andre looked from Tori to Jade to Robbie and glared at the boy once his eyes were settled on him. It was full of hatred and blame that made Robbie tremble. Andre had never looked at him in such a manner like that before. The two ended up silently declining their offer to sit with them. Andre instead led Tori to the other side of the restaurant as though being near Robbie was a curse in itself. "Robbie?" Jade asked, her motherly voice seeping through. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah…"

* * *

><p>"What was that all about?" Tori hissed at Andre, who plopped down in a booth on the opposite end of the restaurant.<p>

"Robbie," Andre spat as though the name itself was disgusting. "He's a terrible person and a terrible friend, and I don't want to be around him Tori."

Tori groaned, throwing her head into her hands and rubbing her forehead. Great. Just what she needed. Not only were Jade and Beck fighting each other, now Andre was fighting Robbie. "Why?" She whipped her head and arms up. "Why is he such a terrible person? Andre, he's Robbie! The worst he's ever done is bring that godforsaken puppet to school."

"That's only cause he looks harmless," he whispered, not-so-subtly pointing at Jade and Robbie's table. "Boys have a code: don't date your friend's ex. And what does Robbie do? Dates Beck's ex. It's a terrible move and it's hurting Beck."

Tori blandly stared at him and sighed. "So?"

"So? He's a terrible person!"

"Andre, he has every right to date Jade," Tori tried to reasonably explain. "Beck broke up with her, and he didn't tell Robbie that it would bother him. He hasn't talked to Robbie at all actually which is really immature of him. Besides why do you care? That's between Beck and Jade and maybe Robbie. Not you."

"Beck's my best friend." Andre stubbornly stated.

"That doesn't make his problems your problems," she retorted. "The break up is Beck and Jade's problem. It's their business not ours. Dammit, Andre, I'm so sick and tired of all our friends taking sides in something that we shouldn't be involved in! Why can't we all just be friends again?"

Andre opened his mouth to argue but realized Tori had a valid point. It wasn't his business. Tori noticed his silence and decided to end her argument with one more statement. "Have you considered that maybe the reason why you're so involved with this is because you haven't gotten over your feelings for Jade?"

Andre's jaw dropped and a faint blush tinted his cheeks. Tori sighed, knowing that she definitely made her point. Now she just had to convince everyone else of the same thing.

* * *

><p>"So that was fun," Jade awkwardly stated. Robbie and her were walking home, but he was strangely silent ever since Andre and Tori refused to sit with them. While Jade didn't care, Robbie was strangely affected by it. He was silent, withdrawn, and upset. He looked like a kicked puppy, and Jade couldn't stand it.<p>

"I guess," he murmured.

"Robbie," she said softly. "What is it? It's not that big of a deal that they didn't want to sit with us. Maybe they were on a date? Maybe they wanted privacy? Who knows and who cares?"

Robbie paused for a moment, glancing at her through weary eyes. "He hates me."

"Andre?"

"Yeah." He frowned, hugging his waist. "He was the first friend I ever made, you know. No one wanted to hang around the geeky kid with the puppet. Then one day he sat next to me and started talking to me. I don't know why he did, but we've been friends ever since. It's why I'm friends with all of you. I've considered him a great friend even if we've gotten a little distant. Now he hates me though, and I can't stand it."

She nodded, reaching out and softly taking his hand in her own. This appeared to encourage him as he continued, "I just… I don't want to be alone again."

Squeezing his hand, she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm your friend."

There was a small moment of silence before he squeezed her hand back.

"I know."

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading!<p>

Emily: I'll have the next chapter posted by next Friday!

Alice: Thanks so much for supporting the story and being so patient with my lack of updating!


	14. Chapter 13

Alice: New chapter! Sorry it's a little late.

Emily: My boss called and asked if I could take a shift on Friday, so I didn't have time to edit it over the weekend due to work.

Alice: It's now Tuesday, and I have the day off, so I can actually start working on it!

Emily: I've decided to start posting every Monday instead of every Friday otherwise work will get in the way.

Alice: By the way, this story will be 21 chapters long.

Emily: Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 13<span>**

Robbie wore a smile when he walked into school that day. He didn't know why he was so happy considering Andre basically ended their friendship the day before, but he theorized it might be due to his progress with Jade. It was ironic how he originally wanted to befriend her for Cat, then to ease his guilt. Now he wanted to be her friend because she was so much fun! Before being close with Jade, he used to wonder why Beck wanted to date her. He knew why now: she was so funny and bluntly honest. It was relieving to have someone who didn't lie to him and talk behind his back. If she had a problem, she outright said it.

He admired that about her.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice a foot darting out until it was too late. He hit the floor with a loud 'thump' and groaned in pain. Shyly, he looked up to see one of the boys from his gym class smirking at him as his friends laughed. Flushing, he shakily stood up and awaited the taunting he knew would come. Before the boy could speak though, a flash of black flew past him. He only heard the sound of a body being shoved against the lockers.

"Jade!" the boy embarrassingly squeaked. Robbie's jaw dropped in amazement. The boy was strong, muscular, and tall yet Jade somehow managed to pin him to the lockers like he was nothing. Her forearm was pressed against his throat that allowed him barely enough space to breathe, and her face was inches from his.

"What's the matter?" she smirked when the boy started whimpering in fear. "Come on, tell me?"

"P-please," he stuttered. "Don't hurt me!"

The hallway was deadly silent.

Jade sneered. "You're pathetic."

She suddenly dropped her arms causing the boy to fumble to the ground. He remained there, staring up at Jade in pure fear. The girl turned to Robbie, who was staring at her in amazement. "You okay?" she asked kindly.

"Y-yeah," he nodded shakily. She smiled at him and wrapped her arm around his. As they walked away from the scene, she glanced at him in concern. "What?"

She shook her head. "I'll tell you at lunch. Meet me at my usual table."

He nodded. "Okay."

* * *

><p><em>Have you considered that maybe the reason why you're so involved with this is because you haven't gotten over your feelings for Jade?<em>

Andre sighed, rubbing his forehead in annoyance. Why did Tori have to be so perceptive about him? Those words kept him up all night and forced him to do some serious self-evaluation. Did he still love Jade? He tried to think about it but couldn't come up with an answer. He wasn't wonky around her anymore, but it's not like he talked to her enough to find out.

His mind briefly flashed to the night of the breakup and how his heart skipped a beat when Jade didn't insult him. Did that mean he was in love with her or just relieved someone he thought was his friend didn't hate him? He wasn't sure, and he hated it.

He sighed once he reached his locker and glanced down the hall. He frowned when he saw Robbie being tripped by one of the football players and immediately reacted. He took a step towards the scene, about to yell at the boy suddenly the football player was being pinned against the locker. By Jade. Of course.

She started saying something to the boy that he couldn't hear and pulled away from him. In an almost motherly manner, she approached Robbie and started speaking to him. She even wrapped her arm around his in a form of physical comfort.

Andre sighed as they walked away and once again began to think about what Tori said to him. Before he could think, he saw something from the corner of his eye. He turned around and saw Beck standing there with his fists clenched and his eyes narrowed where Jade and Robbie were previously standing. Underneath all of that anger, Andre could sense an underlying misery that was overwhelming his best friend.

Tori's words vanished from his mind. Anger replaced them as he cursed Robbie in his mind for causing such pain to his best friend. Maybe he was in love with Jade, maybe he wasn't. Either way, he was angry because his best friend was hurting, and that was reason enough to get involved.

* * *

><p>"Why do you let yourself be pushed around like that?" Jade randomly asked. Robbie instantly started choking on the sandwich he had been eating. Once he managed to swallow his food, he gaped at Jade, who stared at him like her question wasn't at all personal. This was probably what she meant when she said she wanted to talk to him at lunch.<p>

"I…" he blinked. "Where did that come from?"

"This morning." She shrugged. "Why do you let them do it? Why don't you fight back?"

"Have you seen me?" he attempted to joke. "If I talk back to them, they'll beat me up!"

"Please," Jade snorted. "They're third class bullies and you know it. They wouldn't dare try to physically harm you. Trip you? Yeah. Embarrass you? Definitely. But they won't beat you because they're too scared they'll get in trouble."

Robbie sighed and folded his hands on his lap, staring blankly at his lunch. "I guess because that's how it's always been," he mumbled.

"It doesn't have to be though," she whispered, placing her hand over his. "If you stand up to them, they'll stop. There's no fun in taunting someone who doesn't care."

Standing up for himself… no. He couldn't. That's what Rex did. Rex protected him, shielded him from the harsh words and taunts. Rex could say whatever he wanted to the bullies because Rex was brave. Robbie, though… he wasn't. "I can't." He stated.

"Robbie—"

"I said I can't!" He snapped. "Just drop it!"

Jade stared at him, her eyes scanning his expression. It was as though she was searching for something, a reason maybe. When she didn't find it, she sighed and nodded her head. "So how's your project on hair dye going?"

Robbie shakily smiled. "I got an A."

"As always. Nerd."

"Goth."

"Geek."

The light banter continued, and soon both of them were laughing; however, it wasn't the same. The air was still thick around them, and the underlying tension caused their smiles to be strained. They tried to drown it out with laughter and mockery, but it wouldn't flush away. Both knew the topic would arise again with multiple others that would cause both to become uncomfortable. Still, as long as it was later and not in the present, the two could deal with the tension. All they had to do was ignore it until they couldn't anymore.

But that was a problem for them in the future. For now, they just wanted to forget.

* * *

><p>Cat hurriedly placed the books from her backpack in her locker. She couldn't take it anymore. Robbie and Jade were laughing together at lunch, and all she could do was stare enviously at the two. Why couldn't she just be happy for them? Like she was when Jade dated Beck? Then again, she never had feelings for Beck, so why wouldn't she be happy? She sighed and ran her hands through her hair. She hated these feelings: jealousy, anger, and selfishness. She was selfish for wanting Robbie to herself regardless of Jade's happiness, and she hated it.<p>

"Cat?"

Speak of the devil. She forced a smile at her best friend, who was walking towards her with concern. "You alright?"

"Yes," she lied. Jade obviously didn't believe her.

"Are you walking home?"

"Yeah."

"Alone?"

"Mom and Dad need to visit my brother's special doctor," Cat shrugged. At this point, she was used to her parents forgetting things because they needed to help her brother. She didn't resent them for it but it still made her wish for a normal brother. Whenever she felt that, she always felt a stab of guilt for thinking that.

"Oh," Jade nodded. "I'll walk you home then."

Cat forced a smile and nodded. Whenever Jade went into her mothering mode, there was little anyone could do to stop her. It was funny how much this part of her personality contrasted with her harshness, but Cat never thought much of it. "Okay."

As the two walked to Cat's home, Jade attempted to calm her down and make her feel better. It was subtle, but Cat could see right through it. "Jade?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Are you… are you okay?" Cat decided to go for it. "It's just… you know you can tell me anything, right?"

Jade blinked and nodded her head. "Of course I do. Cat, I'm fine. Really good actually. I'm just worried about you."

Typical answer. Jade always worried about her and listened to her problems, but whenever Cat wanted to talk about Jade, she instantly changed the subject. Cat sighed, wanting to shout at Jade to just tell her something. Anything! She was her friend, dammit, and she wanted to be there for her!

But instead of announcing her feelings to Jade, she just smiled. "I'm fine. It's just been a little stressful."

"Want to talk about it?" Jade asked.

"Not yet. I just need to sort out what I'm feeling then I'll come to you," Cat said. It was true. She knew she was upset that Jade never confided in her, and she knew she was jealous of the relationship between Jade and Robbie. The problem was she had no idea how to announce that to Jade without upsetting the other girl. She also didn't know which of the issues to discuss with Jade first or how they would discuss it. Once she worked it all out though, she definitely wanted to talk to Jade about it. The problem was she didn't know how long it would take: a day, a month, a year? It terrified her that by the time she was ready to talk to Jade it would be too late.

* * *

><p>Robbie stared at Rex, who was sitting on the desk in his room. The empty eyes stared at him and its arms were lying on its side. One of the hands looked like it was reaching out to Robbie, begging him to give the puppet life again. Robbie sighed, remembering what Jade said. Rex might be able to solve his problems. He just needed to start bringing the puppet to school again. Shakily, he reached out towards Rex when he heard a knocking on his window.<p>

Blinking, he walked over and opened it only to nearly scream. Jade was crouching on one of the tree branches next to his window. "Jade?" he whispered. "What are you—"

"Can I come in?" she asked. Her voice was wobbling as though she had been crying or was about to start.

"S-sure," he nodded, stepping aside so Jade could crawl through the window. She was in pajamas, and her feet were black from walking outdoors barefoot. As she stood there, he noticed she was trembling and holding herself. Hesitantly, she lifted her head so her eyes could bore into Robbie's. They held that position for a moment before both reached out and hugged each other.

Jade buried her head into Robbie's shoulder as Robbie squeezed on her like his life depended on it. She started gasping for breath as though she was crying, but Robbie didn't feel any tears pouring from her eyes unlike his own. He was sure she could feel the droplets rolling from his cheeks onto her shoulders, but he didn't care. Somehow they managed to maneuver themselves onto his bed without breaking the hug. They fell asleep desperately clinging to each other without asking questions.

Similarly on the other side of town, Beck and Cat fell asleep in that position.

* * *

><p>Alice: The next update will be on July 6th at the latest.<p>

Emily: Thanks for reading!

Alice: Like I said, Robbie and Jade are not getting together and neither are Beck and Cat.

Emily: Next chapter: Beck and Robbie confront each other.


	15. Chapter 14

Alice: New chapter!

Emily: Enjoy! Robbie and Beck will finally confront each other.

Alice: Let's see how that plays out!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 14<span>**

It was one of the best nights sleep they ever had, and it affected their behavior in class. Normally they kept to themselves and attempted to be quiet in their conversations. Today, however, Robbie and Jade were boisterous, loud, and blissful. It was a strange sight, and their classmates couldn't help but steal glances at the two. While multiple people wanted to speak up and tease them, they knew it wouldn't go over well with Jade. All had heard what happened to the jock that threatened Robbie and were now terrified to go near the nerd.

It seems Jade found someone new to be possessive over.

When Sikowitz entered the classroom, the two finally quieted down although they were unable to stifle the occasional giggle. The teacher gazed around the room, staring unnervingly at his students. A giant grin broke onto his face, "Improv!"

"Oh great," Jade grumbled under her breath to Robbie.

"The two characters will be…" he pretended to ponder it over.

"Me?" Cat giggled, pointing to herself. Jade glanced over at her and frowned slightly. She sounded far too perky considering the conversation the two girls had the day before. Was she faking it again so no one would ask her questions? Sighing, she knew she would have to wait until Cat was comfortable talking about whatever was bothering her. Jade wasn't exactly known for her patience, but she could at least try for her best friend.

"Is she okay?" Robbie whispered to her, and Jade blinked in surprise. Robbie was glancing at Cat in concern as though he too saw through the overly happy façade.

"Yeah," she replied.

Robbie frowned at her. "You're not that good at lying."

"Beck!" Sikowitz beamed happily, unknowingly interrupting their conversation. "And Robbie!"

Robbie jumped, startled at the sudden call of his name. He frowned and glanced at Beck, who was sitting on the opposite side of the classroom near Cat. The handsome boy turned and outright glared at him as though he was the source of all of Beck's problems. Jade, who seemed to notice the tension, rubbed Robbie's arm in a failed attempted to comfort him. Normally it would have worked, but Beck's glare was becoming fiercer by the second, and it unnerved Robbie.

Shakily Robbie stood up, knowing nothing good would come out of this scene for him. Jade's eyes were fixated on him and her positioning on the chair looked like she was preparing herself to run to him if need be. Robbie never noticed how much of a mother hen (well, more like mother lion) Jade could be until now. Sighing, he started walking towards the stage, where Beck was already standing. The aura of the classroom completely changed. Everyone was on the edge of their seats. No one would dare blink in case they missed something.

"The scene will be about how Robbie stole something from Beck, and Beck is angry about it," Sikowitz announced, ignoring the tense air of the room. "Go!"

Jade's eyebrows furrowed at the strange scene description. Was Sikowitz implying that she was the object? That Robbie stole her? That Beck wanted her back? She hadn't spoken to him for a long time, so perhaps that's where the misunderstanding stemmed from. Maybe after the scene she should try catching up with him and explain what was really going on. For now though she needed to focus on Robbie. In the span of their friendship, jade definitely saw hints that Robbie had some sort of social anxiety, and she doubted a scene as personalized as this would help.

"Thief," Beck started the scene, narrowing his eyes at Robbie.

He gulped and turned to Jade, who was watching him in concern.

"Look at me!" Beck practically shouted causing Robbie to jump and face him with wide eyes. "I just called you a thief. What do you have to say about that?"

"I-I…" Robbie stammered before gulping. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Cat staring at him with wide eyes and her hands folded on her lap. Cat was watching him, and Jade was counting on him. He clenched his fists and stared directly at Beck. He confidently stated. "I'm not a thief."

Beck snorted. "Is that so?"

"Y-yes," he stuttered, some of his confidence disappearing. "It is."

"Looks like you're a liar and a thief." The taller boy inched towards him, looming over him threateningly.

"I'm not!" Robbie flushed. "You can't steal a person, Beck! She made the decision to come to me! Willingly, she became my friend, and she chose me over you!" He didn't realize he was shouting. Where did this anger come from? He knew Jade was hurting because of Beck, but he never though too deeply about his own feelings about the breakup. Well now was a good time as any to explore them. "You don't get to yell at me and be angry when I did nothing! Just face it, Beck! I didn't steal her. I just helped her when you left her behind!"

He was panting at this point, and he instantly blushed at what he just screamed. His eyes drifted back to jade, who watched him with newfound respect and pride in her eyes. He smiled shyly at her, and she grinned happily. Beck appeared to notice the exchange and growled. "I left her behind? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he snapped.

"You know what it means," Robbie turned back to him.

Beck clenched his fists, slowly approaching the smaller boy. "You think you're better than me just because she likes you?" He narrowed his eyes at him and purposefully looked him up and down as though he were some kind of bug, inferior to him. "You're wrong. I may be a lot of things, but at least I'm not a scrawny herd who can barely talk to anyone. I don't hide behind a damn puppet like a coward."

"Beck," Sikowitz tried to interrupt, sensing the scene was getting far too personal.

"You're nothing," Beck continued to whisper. "Always have been, always will be."

"End scene!"

Beck blinked and whipped around to the person who said that. Jade was standing in the middle of the room, glaring at him as though he was the scum of the earth. It was a look he never received from her before, and it sent chills down his entire body. Her gaze shifted to Robbie, who was practically hyperventilating. Marching up to the center of the stage, Jade softly grasped Robbie's hand with her own and started whispering comforting words to him. Beck, who was only a few feet from the two, could barely make out what she was saying to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and started leading him out of the classroom.

Beck, being the idiot he was, opened his stupid mouth and blurted out, "I didn't get to finish."

Jade stopped in mid-step, her back facing Beck. Trembling, she stood there for another moment before continuing to walk out of the class with Robbie in her arms. Beck was left alone on the stage, staring at the door with hurt eyes.

"End scene," Sikowtiz mumbled. "You may now go back to your seat."

Beck numbly nodded and stepped off the stage.

* * *

><p>Jade immediately brought Robbie into the girls' bathroom and locked the door behind her. She slowly lowered Robbie onto the tilted floor and sat beside him. His breathing was irregular and loud, and his eyes were wide and unseeing. She could easily recognize the panic attack and decided to rub his back in comfort. "I want Rex." He blurted out.<p>

"Robbie," she mumbled, wrapping her arms around his tiny figure.

"I want Rex," he repeated. "I want Rex. Where is he? Jade, I need Rex. Where's Rex?"

He went on like that for another minute or two. Jade simply hugged him and whispered that Rex wasn't there but she was. She could listen. It took longer than she expected, but he finally calmed down from the panic attack. It was silent for a few moments after until Jade asked, "Why do you need Rex?"

"Jade," his voice held an unvoiced warning.

"He's just a puppet," she continued regardless. "Why do you need him?"

"I don't know," he snapped. "Why do you hate your dad?"

Jade froze, her body physically clamming up at the mere mention of her father. Robbie even found himself reeling at what just came out of his mouth. While he knew very little about Jade's father, he understood they had a terrible relationship. Jade's father has never been brought up until now, and Robbie instantly regretted mentioning him. He was about to apologize when Jade sighed, her body relaxing. "We used to be really close," she mumbled. "Me and him. He was my hero, and I was his little girl. After the divorce, he started dating this woman, and he started ignoring me. He started getting really serious all the time, and he changed. When I wrote plays as a kid, he always encouraged me and said I was an amazing writer. Now he just says it's a waste of time. He abandoned me. I mean, he still lives with me, but he's not there for me anymore.

"Ever since then, I just couldn't stand the idea of anyone abandoning me like that again. I never really opened up because it's easier to have no friends than to have them all leave you behind. Saves you from the pain, I guess. That's why I was so… possessive of Beck. Whenever he flirted with a girl, I thought of how my dad started flirting with my stepmom. Eventually he left, so why wouldn't Beck? What's to stop him from meeting some amazing girl and falling in love and leaving me behind like my dad did?"

"Did you ever tell him that?" Robbie asked, sympathy in his eyes.

She shook her head. "I've never told anyone that."

"I'm sorry," Robbie mumbled, subtly changing their position so he was holding her instead. She leaned his head on his shoulder, and Robbie placed his head on top of hers. "If your dad can't see how great you are then that's his loss."

Jade smiled sadly. "Thanks."

"You don't need to thank me. It's what friends do."

Jade nodded, and the two clung to each other for a few more moments, taking in everything that had happened. By sharing that secret, Jade had taken their friendship to a new territory that both were very unfamiliar with. They didn't know how to continue from there, and they didn't know if it would be any different. They knew one thing though: they would handle it together.

"That's it," Jade sniffed, sitting up straight. "That's enough chick flick moments for the week."

Robbie snorted. "The week? It's only Tuesday!"

Jade smirked. "Maybe even the month. Or the year. Either way, too much."

"We clearly have different opinions on chick flick moments."

"Are you implying something?"

As they teased each other, the two of them stood up and walked out of the bathroom together, ignoring the stares of the other students. With the way they were laughing, no one would be able to tell the serious moment the two had in the bathroom or how much their simple friendship had changed.

Still, they were laughing and they were happy. That's all that really mattered.

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading!<p>

Emily: Next update will be July 13th at the very latest.

Alice: But I might update earlier than that depending on my schedule.

Emily: Have a great week!


	16. Chapter 15

Alice: New chapter!

Emily: It's going to be a little short, so I'm sorry about that.

Alice: It's more for a lead in for the next chapter, which has a ton of character development.

Emily: Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 15<span>**

"Let's burn Rex."

Robbie blinked at the totally random comment Jade made. Both were sitting in his room doing homework when she decided to announce that particular desire. After the initial shock, Robbie grew horrified at the notion of burning the puppet. While he never explained to Jade why he needed Rex, he figured she understood it had something to do with his social awkwardness. Still he never imaged she would want to burn him. "No," he shook his head. "No way."

Jade frowned. "Why not?"

"I need him," Robbie blurted out. "I just… you don't get it."

"Explain it to me then."

Robbie was about to snap at her, but then he remembered what happened yesterday. Jade spilled her heart out to him, so didn't she deserve the same trust and treatment she expressed to him? He sighed and put his book down, his hands playing with the pencil. "When I was a kid, I was really awkward, and I didn't know how to talk to people. They thought I was weird, and I was bullied a lot for it. My parents got really concerned, so they sent me to a therapist. I was a kid, so my therapist gave me a puppet and said to practice with him. I guess I got too attached and never stopped."

Jade didn't appear too shocked. "But you did," she countered. "You haven't brought him to school in a long time."

"But it's nice to have him there as backup," he argued. "Just in case I might need him."

"No," her eyes softened. "He's there as a reminder of what you used to be. It's a way to fall back into who you once were. You need to burn that bridge, Robbie. Literally."

"No."

"He's a symbol of your social anxiety," she continued regardless. "Burn him."

"Dammit Jade, I said no!" He shouted.

She froze and slowly nodded. "Alright," she mumbled. "It was just a suggestion."

Robbie sighed, guilt flooding his chest. "I know… I'm just not ready."

She clearly didn't believe him, but she dropped the subject anyway. The rest of their time together was awkward and very tense. Jade even left early under a stupid excuse that she was needed at home. Robbie didn't believe her, but he didn't blame her either. Sighing, he leaned back in his bed and glanced over to the desk where Rex sat. Without realizing it, he grabbed his phone and dialed a number, pressing the phone to his ear.

_"Hello?"_ Cat's chirpy voice came through almost instantly.

"H-hey," he stuttered, unsure of how to pose the question. It had been a while since he talked to his crush, so it felt strange calling her out of nowhere. Still, it was nice to hear her voice.

_"Hey Robbie!" _he could practically see her smiling. _"What's up?"_

"I was just wondering," his eyes drifted to the puppet, "what do you think of Rex?"

_"Rex?"_ she sounded puzzled.

"Yeah… what do you think of him?" he bit his lip, waiting for the reply.

_"He's funny!"_ she giggled, but there was something off about it. It sounded too ditzy to be real. She was lying. Most likely to make him feel better, but it was still a blatant lie. _"Why?"_

"I just needed to know," he mumbled, his grip on the sheets of his bed tightening. "Thanks, Cat."

_"No problem?"_

When he hung up, he sighed and shut his eyes tightly. Burn Rex…? No one liked Rex. They may not have said it out loud, but he could tell from their expressions that they found the puppet obnoxious. When he stopped bringing him to school, the gang seemed much more relaxed and less annoyed. He knew it had to do with Rex's absence, and he tried not bringing the puppet into school. Still Jade was right. So long as Rex sat on his desk, he may revert back to hiding behind him.

Just because he acknowledged that as the truth, though, didn't mean he wanted to burn the puppet.

* * *

><p>Tori strolled down the hallway when her eyes caught something black. Frowning, she turned at the corner and found Jade sitting cross-legged on the floor, reading a textbook. Without thinking about it, Tori sat next to her and glanced at the book. Jade suddenly snapped the book shut and glared at her. "You know," Tori blurted out, "You don't scare me as much as you used to."<p>

Jade snorted and stretched her legs out. "What do you want, Vega?"

"What's wrong?" Tori asked, knowing fully well Jade was upset about something. When the girl didn't answer, Tori just sighed. "You know, I used to have the biggest crush on Beck."

The girl's head whirled around, and Tori received one of the scariest glares she's ever seen. "This better have a point." Jade spat out.

"It does," Tori was proud that her voice didn't shake. "I really thought I was in love with him, and I thought he might have some feelings for me. When he kissed me, I was so convinced he was going to break up with you and date me. It happens in all the movies, so I figured it'd happen in real life. It didn't though. You two stayed together, and I eventually got over it."

"He's free now though," she murmured bitterly. "I'm sure he'll agree to date you now."

"He won't." Tori shrugged. "He's one of the hottest boys in the school. If he wanted a girlfriend, he'd have one. There's a reason he doesn't."

Jade raised an eyebrow.

"Because there's only one girl for him." Tori stated with absolute confidence. "And he knows it."

Without another word, Tori stood up and walked away from Jade, who was stunned into silence. She brought her legs to her chest and frowned at the floor. What did Tori mean by that? Beck broke up with her, so obviously he didn't want her. Still Jade thought to the moment of the breakup until now. Beck wasn't flirting with any girls like he used to, and he definitely wasn't going out with any of them. She would have heard about it if he was. What did that mean? Was he just being nice and waiting for her to move on first? She sighed. This was far too complicated and it hurt too much.

It's probably why she was so happy when her phone vibrated. It was a way to distract her from her own thoughts. Opening her phone, her eyebrows furrowed when she saw it was a message from Robbie. She opened the message, and her eyes went wide when she read it:

_Let's burn Rex._

* * *

><p>Alice: Only five chapters left!<p>

Emily: This will be my last Victorious story.

Alice: Thanks for reading and supporting the story!

Emily: Once again, sorry it was so short.


	17. Chapter 16

Alice: This is another short chapter, but a lot happens in it.

Emily: Seriously, don't skip this chapter or you'll be confused for the rest of the story!

Alice: Well not the rest of the story but later on.

Emily: Enjoy!

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

Robbie numbly watched as Jade began stacking up wood around Rex. It was nighttime at Jade's house, and her family wasn't home. They decided this was the best time to burn Rex, and they planned for it. Jade brought the wood and the matches, and Robbie brought Rex. The puppet was tied on a stick in a very Christian fashion. Since Jade was a writer, she probably chose that pose to be symbolic of Rex being a martyr in Robbie's fight against his own social anxiety. Either way, Robbie couldn't look at the puppet. Not without tearing up.

He squirms uncomfortably as Jade stands up and rubs the dust and dirt off her hands. She walks over to him and stands next to him. From the corner of Robbie's eye, he sees Jade smile at her own work only to frown when she noticed her friend's nervousness. "You ready?" she softly asked. When he nodded in response, Jade softly grasped his hand and put matches in them.

Beforehand, Robbie had argued that Jade should light Rex on fire since it was her plan. She countered that it would be meaningless unless he burned it. With shaky hands, he somehow managed to light the match, and he threw it in the bonfire. First the newspapers began burning, and the wood slowly started to burn with it.

Without realizing it, tears fell onto Robbie's cheeks, and he finally looked at Rex. The flames only reached his feet, and Robbie already wanted to run into the fire to save the puppet. Once the flames travelled to the puppet's legs, Robbie realized for the first time that there was no turning back. His breathing became unsteady. It must have been obvious to Jade, who reached for his hand and encouragingly squeezed it, calming the boy down.

"I met Beck in class," she whispered, not taking her eyes off of the burning puppet. Robbie, however, abruptly turned to her. "We were assigned to do some project together, and I had heard about him before. He was the class flirt. When he sat down next to me, he started acting as though he was prepared for me to start fawning over him. I looked at him, really looked at him, and I don't know. I saw something. Something fake. He said something to me, and I don't really remember what it was, but it was obvious he was trying to flirt with me.

"I looked at him and I asked him why he was trying to hard to be someone he was not. He looked so surprised. Like no one's accused him of being fake. He started acting different around me after that. He'd follow me around, and he'd act differently. Not like the nice, funny, perfect boy everyone thought he was. I don't really know when I fell for him, but I did. I was devastated after the breakup, and I couldn't take being in the same room as him. I was so in love with him that I couldn't process he wasn't mine anymore… I'm still in love with him."

Robbie nodded and turned back to the fire. Now the flames had reached Rex's shoulders, and the puppet would be gone in minutes. Squeezing her hand in thanks for the distraction, Robbie stated, "He didn't deserve you."

Jade smiled softly. "Thanks Robbie."

Together they watched as the fire burned Rex and continued to burn the puppet until he was charcoal. Eventually the flames died down into a smaller fire, and the two remained standing. Both were crying, although for very different reasons, but neither felt alone. The sounds of crickets and the fire crackling were the only noises they could hear. It was solemn yet peaceful all at once.

"I love Cat, you know."

Jade's eyebrows furrowed at the seemingly random statement. "I know."

"Do you know if she loves me?" Robbie asked, never taking his eyes off the dying fire. That's probably why he didn't notice Jade's reaction. Her entire body went still, and her lips quivered. Memories, both pleasant and unpleasant, filled her brain, creating multiple different scenarios on what would happen if she answered the question.

"No," she hoarsely whispered. "She doesn't."

Robbie nodded, newfound tears coming to his eyes. He was so wrapped up in that answer that he didn't notice the immediate look of guilt on Jade's face after she answered. "I see," he mumbled. "Thank you for being honest."

She numbly nodded, "You're welcome, Robbie."

_I'm sorry._

* * *

><p>Alice: Like I said, really short chapter, but a lot happens.<p>

Emily: Thanks for reading! The next update will be next Monday on the 20th.

Alice: I'll try to update sooner though.

Emily: Let us know what you thought!


	18. Chapter 17

Alice: Oh snap!

Emily: It's this chapter…

Alice: This is the first chapter Beck and Jade will interact!

Emily: And let me tell you… it's intense.

Alice: A lot of you asked about what Jade told Robbie in the previous chapter, so let me clear that up.

**1. Yes, Jade knows about Cat's feelings for Robbie. They've talked about it at the beginning of the chapter, and I believe in the middle. Either way, Jade does know about Cat's feelings for him.**

**2. Yes, Jade outright lied to Robbie about Cat's feelings for him. It's not because she likes him. **

**3. There is a specific reason why Jade lied, and I hinted at it in the previous chapters. You'll find out in future chapters why Jade decided to lie to Robbie. **

Emily: Now that I've cleared that up, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 17<span>**

Robbie decided to sit with the gang that day. Usually he ate with Jade, but today something told him to sit with the group. Maybe he wanted to check in with them and see how they were doing considering it had been a while since he talked to any of them. Perhaps he wanted to see why Andre appeared to hate him so much. Subconsciously, though, he knew it was about Cat. He knew she had no feelings for him, and maybe he wanted to see for himself whether or not that was true. Jade wouldn't lie though. If there was anything he knew about her, it was that she was honest. Sometimes to the point of being rude, but it was the one thing he could count on with her.

When he sat next to Tori that day, he immediately rethought his decision. The entire table literally stared at him for a good thirty seconds before going back to their meals. Well, everyone except Tori and Cat, who smiled at him. "Robbie!" Tori grinned. "It's been a while."

"I know," he agreed, wondering how long it had actually been. "It's why I figured I would eat here."

"Good!" Cat clapped her hands together. "How have you been?"

There was an underlying worry in her eyes, and he understood why. He did break down in class, again, and he randomly called her to inquire about her thoughts on his puppet. He sheepishly smiled. "Really good actually. Thanks for asking. You?"

"Good," she lied, and Robbie could clearly tell. He wouldn't question it though since the whole table was there. "I went to the store the other day and I… Jade?!"

Robbie blinked and turned around. Jade was standing behind him with a tray in her hands, staring inquisitively at him. "Jade?" Robbie questioned.

"Move." She commanded, and he inched towards Tori, who was gaping at the girl. Jade then squeezed her way between Cat and Robbie, who were both openly staring at her. "What?" she directed the question at Robbie. "You weren't at our table, and I got bored."

"I realized I haven't talked to the gang in a while," he explained, sending her a meaningful look. He wasn't sure what it meant, but Jade seemed to understand considering she nodded at him. "I figured you wouldn't want to."

"I don't." She shrugged. "But I will."

It was a huge step. A step Robbie didn't realize she was prepared to make. Just being in the same room as Beck used to be too hard for her, and now she was sitting across from him. Maybe she was moving on? No, Robbie knew she wasn't and that maybe she never would. She was just adjusting to the breakup and figuring out how to occupy the same space as him. He smiled brightly at her, and she reluctantly returned the grin. "Welcome back Jade!" Tori interrupted the moment. Robbie had to hold in his giggles when Jade rolled her eyes.

"Oh great," she replied to Tori's comment. "I have to be near you again."

Tori was about to retort, but Robbie beat her. "Jade," he smiled warningly. "Be nice."

"I thought I was?" Jade innocently smiled.

"I think we have very different definitions of the word 'nice.'" Robbie chuckled.

"I define it as tolerating people."

"Yeah that's not the definition."

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure."

"I'm a writer, so I think I'd know the definition of a word as simple as 'nice.'"

"I'm a high school student. I know what 'nice' means."

Before Jade could continue teasing the boy, someone else inserted themselves into the conversation and rudely stated, "But you don't know when to shut up, do you?"

The table turned to Beck, who was glaring at Robbie once again. Robbie gulped yet didn't feel the same anxiety he had during the skit. Maybe it was because he burned Rex, or maybe it was due to the lack of a crowd. Either way, it didn't hurt anymore, and Robbie wasn't sure if that was a good thing. "Beck," Tori said in a disappointed tone.

"I'm just saying," he held his hands in surrender. "He should learn when people actually want him around and when they don't. Right now we don't."

"I want him around."

If the tension beforehand was bad, it just became worse. Jade had looked Beck directly in the eye and spoke to him. It was their first conversation since the breakup.

Beck scowled at her. "Why? He's a nerd."

"He's one of the kindest, most understanding people I've ever met," Jade glared back. "So what if he's smart too?"

Clenching his fists, Beck continued, "He's also scrawny and doesn't take a hint. He carries a puppet around! I don't get why anyone would want to be around him let alone you."

Jade rolled her eyes. "And you're so much better than him? At least he's not afraid to be himself. He's not a coward!"

"I'm not a coward!" Beck shot up from his seat, trembling as he stared down at Jade.

That only led Jade to repeat the action. "You pick on people weaker than you! Seems like something only a coward would do."

"At least I didn't hide in the janitor's closet during Sikowitz's class!" Beck shouted, and everyone at the table flinched at the comment. It was a low blow, and judging by the regret on Beck's fact, he knew it too.

Still Jade took it in and shouted back, "This has nothing to do with me! It's about how you're being an ass to Robbie when he doesn't deserve it! He's done nothing to you, but you're still treating him like dirt! I'm not going to let you treat him like that!"

"He deserves it!" Beck screamed.

"Fuck you Beck!" Jade tensed, and it looked like she was ready to lunge at her ex-boyfriend. The entire cafeteria was watching the scene closely, and teachers looked unsure on whether or not to intervene. Robbie gulped. If Jade actually attacked Beck, she'd be suspended. Maybe even expelled. He couldn't let that happen. Not to his best friend.

"Jade!" He exclaimed, standing up. "Stop it!"

Beck and Jade both turned to him.

"Why?" Jade frowned. "He—"

"He's not worth it," he lightly touched her arm. It was something she always did to calm him down, and he hoped it would work on her.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "But you are."

Robbie blinked, a sudden warmth spreading in his chest. Still, he couldn't let her attack him, and he shook his head. Nodding, Jade grasped the hand on her arm with her own and led him away from the cafeteria. Before they could reach the doors, they heard the whispering start. Neither cared, and both walked away from the scene without another word.

If they had looked back, they would have seen Beck shut his eyes tightly as though he were trying to hold back tears. They would have seen him turn to Cat with wet eyes before storming away from the table. They would have seen Cat immediately stand up and follow him inside. But they didn't turn around, so they didn't see. Tori and Andre did though, and both sighed. Never before had both felt so useless in a situation.

Still they remained at the table and continued eating.

"I've decided something."

Tori frowned and turned to Andre, who was staring at his food with newfound determination. "Andre?"

"Tomorrow. I'm going to talk to Robbie tomorrow." By the tone of his voice, it didn't sound like it'd be a pleasant talk. Still, Tori merely nodded in reply and shifted her attention back to her food. If Andre set his mind to it, she couldn't stop him. Maybe it was what Andre and Robbie needed anyway since they haven't had any communication since… well she couldn't even remember. While she highly doubted their little "talk" would fix anything, she sincerely hoped it would be a start.

* * *

><p>Beck sat in the hallway, watching as Cat slowly approached him. He knew she would follow her after the scene, but he didn't know whose side she would be on. There was an underlying agreement to not speak of the breakup, and this would potential ruin that. Cat would always remain on Jade's side, and considering her obvious crush on Robbie, she would stick with him as well. Even though they've become much closer, there were still major situations they would never see eye to eye on.<p>

"Beck," she whispered softly.

"Yeah?" he grumbled, preparing himself for a lecture.

"Don't say those things about Robbie anymore please."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and nodded. Cat sighed and sat next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. Letting out the breath he didn't even realize he was holding, Beck placed his head on top of hers.

He was falling apart. The perfect persona he spent years building was cracking, and everyone could see that. Under all the fake perfection, Beck always thought there was a decent guy underneath: a guy who was mostly nice, perhaps a little too flirty, and maybe quick to anger, but still a decent guy. Now all Beck found underneath was a bitter, lonely soul who took it out on anyone nearby.

He didn't like that guy, and he was terrified that perhaps that was all he'd ever be.

* * *

><p>Alice: Next chapter is another intense one.<p>

Emily: There are only three or four chapters left.

Alice: I hope you all liked it!

Emily: I'll also be publishing a Rade one-shot next week.

Alice: If any of you want to read it, you can!

Emily: Anyways, thanks for reading! I'll have the next chapter up by next Monday the 26th. Hopefully earlier though.

Alice: Let me know what you guys thought of the chapter!


	19. Chapter 18

Alice: A lot happens in this chapter!

Emily: And I mean a lot.

Alice: Some things come back to bite people in the butt!

Emily: Well, enjoy the chapter!

Alice: I know I said I wouldn't write another Victorious story, but I am planning on publishing a one-shot.

Emily: And I have been debating writing another story but I'm not one hundred percent sure yet.

Alice: Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 18<span>**

Robbie walked out of class, clinging to his textbooks. His teacher assigned a new project, and he decided to partner Robbie and Cat up. Normally he would have been ecstatic, but he knew Cat had no feelings for him, which meant this project would be extremely painful for him. At least he could talk to Jade about it though… maybe she would help him get through his crush? He sincerely hoped so. He's had crushes before, and no one ever returned his feelings, so he wasn't shocked when Jade told him Cat didn't like him back. He was just disappointed. He thought he saw the signs…

Then again, he always thought that with every girl he's liked.

Sighing, he continued walking to his locker not bothering to look ahead. When he finally reached his locker, he jumped when he nearly ran into another body. He glanced up and frowned at Andre, who was waiting for him with an unhappy expression. Robbie gulped. This would be the first time in a long time he spoke to Andre in a long time. Since Andre decided to help with Jade's play actually. "Andre." Robbie spoke first.

"Robbie." Andre's tone was cold. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Robbie frowned, ready to defend himself.

Andre sighed, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. "Look I get it, alright?"

Robbie blinked. "Um… what?"

"This whole Jade thing," Andre explained as though it was obvious. "I used to have a crush on her too."

"You what?" Robbie exclaimed quite loudly. Andre and Jade? That would have been so weird! Then again, Robbie could understand why Andre would fall in love with Jade. She was beautiful, talented, and funny. While Robbie didn't necessarily have feelings for her, he could understand why someone would. "When?"

"When Beck and Jade were dating," he admitted, sounding ashamed with himself. "It's why I worked so hard to get over her and not be around her. When they broke up, I didn't even think about going after her because I knew it would hurt Beck. I stayed away. That's my problem with you, Robbie. You should have stayed away too."

"Why?" Robbie questioned.

"Because you're hurting Beck!" He rolled his eyes. "You're being a bad friend to him by trying to date her!"

Date her? Robbie frowned, clenching the books in his hands. "First of all, I'm not dating Jade, and I'd never want to. We're just really good friends. Second, even if I did like Jade, why would it matter to Beck? He broke up with her, so he shouldn't get upset when she decides to move on!"

Andre scoffed. "Oh great, you believe those stupid rumors too!"

"Stupid rumors?"

"That Beck broke up with Jade," he stated as though it were obvious. "You were there Robbie. You know what really happened. Jade broke up with Beck!"

What?

"No," Robbie denied, staring at Andre as if he was an idiot. "Beck broke up with Jade. She told him if he didn't open the door in ten seconds, she would go home and they would be over. She gave him the choice, and he didn't open the door. He broke up with her!"

"That's not what happened," Andre crossed his arms. "Beck wanted to see if Jade would fight for him like he fought for her. When she pulled the door stunt, Beck expected her to open the door and talk to him about their issues. He thought she'd fight for the relationship, but she didn't. He may not have opened the door, but Jade's the one who walked away."

"What?" Robbie exclaimed. "That makes no sense!"

"Yes it does," he argued. "Beck had been trying to get Jade to talk about their issues for a while, and she kept denying they had any. During that whole Worst Couple thing, Beck realized they really needed to talk, and she refused to. They came to Tori's house, and she told him to either open the door or leave. He wanted to, but he knew if he did, the relationship would continue with them fighting all the time. If the relationship was going to improve, Jade needed to start fighting for him like he fought for her. By not opening the door to get Beck back, Jade basically told him she didn't want to put any effort into the relationship."

Robbie was about to argue but found that he couldn't. Now that he thought about it, Jade wasn't the type of person who liked confrontation. Whenever someone asked her about a heavy topic, she immediately avoided it. Beck, on the other hand, lived for confrontation. He needed to lay out all of the issues in front of him and go through each one. When things didn't go his way, he became angry. That was expressed whenever he tried to talk to Robbie about Jade. That's what caused all the fighting. Beck wanted Jade to trust him, but she couldn't.

On the surface, it did look like Beck ended the relationship. From that perspective though, it did seem like Jade was unwilling to put any effort in placing trust in Beck. She refused to try and improve their relationship, and Beck had enough of it. He put her to the test by seeing if she would open the door even if he didn't, and she just walked away.

"Oh," Robbie breathed out, staring at Andre with shock. "Man, our group is really bad at communication."

"Jade thought Beck broke up with her?" Andre clarified. "And Beck thought Jade broke up with him?"

"Yep."

"And the whole group has been picking sides instead of talking about it?" Andre continued speaking. "That's why we've never seen… we're idiots."

"Yep."

"I need to talk to Beck!" Andre grinned. "If we just explain to them what we just talked about…"

"Maybe it will open their eyes and get them back together!" Robbie replied, a grin coming to his face. "They still have feelings for each other, and maybe this will teach them how to improve their relationship!"

"Yeah!" Andre was practically bouncing with excitement. "I mean, no offense to Beck, but he really does have a temper sometimes, and he flirts around too much."

"And Jade has gigantic trust issues and abandonment problems," he admitted. "If they just work on that…"

"They can be better than they were before!" Andre finished for him. "Oh man, I really have to talk to Beck!"

"I have to tell Jade!"

With that, both boys ran off in opposite directions. Robbie even forgot to put his books away in his locker, but he didn't care. Jade was going to be so happy! He knew how much she loved Beck, and he saw how much she missed him! This was going to brighten her day! When he finally made it to their lunch table, she literally jumped when he hurled himself into the seat. "Robbie?" she smirked. "You okay there?"

"Beck's still in love with you!" He blurted out. Jade's expression morphed into shock.

"What?" she uncertainly laughed.

"He didn't really break up with you," he was speaking far too quickly, but he couldn't slow himself down. "He just wanted to see if you'd fight for the relationship like he was. When you didn't open the door, he was upset when you walked away because he thought you'd definitely try to work on the relationship after that. It's really dumb and stupid and how could you possibly know that, but it's the way it is. He didn't want to breakup, but he thought you did! Jade, you have to get back together with him!"

Judging by her stunned expression, she somehow managed to follow everything he said even though he was speaking very quickly. Jade gulped and looked at her hands. "Oh…" she breathed out.

"Jade?" Robbie questioned, concern rippling through his body. Why wasn't she happy? "Jade, did you hear me? You just have to talk with Beck about everything, and you two can be happy again!"

Her expression didn't change. She didn't even look at him. "Robbie," she whispered shakily. "I did something bad… something really bad."

His eyebrows furrowed. "To Beck?"

"To you."

Robbie blinked, tilting his head to the side. "It couldn't be that bad, Jade. Now come on! Andre just told Beck how—"

"Cat does like you." She whispered, hesitantly meeting his gaze. "I lied. She likes you a lot."

"W-what?" Robbie laughed. "Jade, that's ridiculous. You don't…"

Jade's eyes were filled with guilt and her hands were trembling. "I just… everyone leaves me, Robbie. And when they leave, there's another woman involved. I just couldn't handle it if you left too! You mean a lot to me, Robbie, and I just… I couldn't let that happen. I'm sorry."

_Ever since then, I just couldn't stand the idea of anyone abandoning me like that again. I never really opened up because it's easier to have no friends than to have them all leave you behind. Saves you from the pain, I guess. That's why I was so… possessive of Beck. Whenever he flirted with a girl, I thought of how my dad started flirting with my stepmom. Eventually he left, so why wouldn't Beck? What's to stop him from meeting some amazing girl and falling in love and leaving me behind like my dad did?_

Robbie gulped. He felt his entire body go numb. After everything they had been through, after all the obstacles they've overcome, Jade thought he would be like her dad? She still didn't trust him? After they burned Rex together? After they shared secrets they've never talked about before? _So that's why_… he numbly thought to himself, _that's why Beck was so angry. He thought she'd trust him after everything, and she didn't. _"You lied to me," he stated. There was no anger or even sadness in his tone. Even his expression was completely blank.

Jade flinched. "I'm sorry."

He narrowed his eyes. "Save it," he spat, collecting his books. "I thought I could trust you… I thought we were honest with each other."

Tears filled her eyes, and Robbie couldn't find it in himself to care. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

"Goodbye Jade."

Robbie swiftly walked away from the table, leaving Jade to openly cry. He wished he could feel something right now: anger, misery, hatred, or even forgiveness. Anything. But he couldn't.

He felt nothing as he walked away from his former best friend.

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading!<p>

Emily: I hope you liked the chapter!

Alice: What do you guys think? Are you on Robbie's side or Jade's side?

Emily: Beck's side or Jade's side?

Alice: I tried making it understandable from both their perspectives. It does get frustrating when someone close to you refuses to trust you.

Emily: But at the same time, it does take a lot of patience to earn trust.

Alice: Next chapter will be up by Monday the 27th at the latest.


	20. Chapter 19

Alice: Here's the new chapter!

Emily: I really hope you guys like it!

Alice: Just letting you guys know, I have a poll on my main page on which fandom I should write for next.

Emily: Victorious is an option, so if you want me to write another Victorious story, you can vote on the poll. The poll will close when this story is finished.

Alice: I know I said I wouldn't write another one, but if you guys really, really want me to, then I will.

Emily: Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 19<span>**

_Three Weeks Later_

"Did you hear?"

"About Cat and Robbie? Yeah I did!"

"I can't believe they're dating now! What about Robbie and Jade? Weren't they dating?"

"I don't know… I mean, everyone thought they were, but I guess not."

"I heard they're not talking anymore."

"They aren't! It's just like what happened with Beck and Jade. They just stopped, you know?"

"Jade's not going to class anymore either."

"Neither is Beck though…"

"Poor Beck! I heard he's been depressed lately."

"He has! I saw him the other day. You know how he used to be really hot and confident? It's like all that was sucked away! He looks terrible! And miserable… I just want to hold him and make him feel better."

"Why don't you?"

"I tried! I offered to hang out, and he just looked at me. He had such dead eyes, and it really freaked me out. He didn't even say anything; he just walked away!"

"Poor Beck! You know, I saw Jade the other day. She looked awful too. Even worse than when Beck dumped her! Maybe she had a thing for Robbie but when he started going out with Cat…"

"Maybe! Honestly, who knows at this point? I mean, do you think—"

"Can't you mind your own business?!"

The two girls blinked and turned around at the one who spoke. Andre was sitting at his desk, glaring at the two girls. They frowned at him but didn't say anything. Perhaps they knew if they argued, Andre would scream at them. His expression was of pure fury, and the girls decided it would be better to just stop talking than to fight with him. Andre sighed and went back to his worksheet. Why couldn't people just mind their own business? He glanced at the empty desk next to him and rubbed his forehead.

Beck wasn't in class again.

For a bit, Andre truly thought everything would be better. Robbie revealed Jade still adored Beck and would perhaps be willing to talk through the relationship issues. When the two boys parted, Andre excepted Beck and Jade to get back together and everything would be all right. Robbie certainly left thinking that as well. Yet, somehow, from the time it took for Andre to seek Beck out and tell him everything about the conversation with Robbie, something had changed.

Andre remembered the way Beck's eyes brightened. He remembered how Beck practically cried with joy when he told him Jade would take him back. He remembered Beck literally running to find Jade and talk to her.

When Andre found Beck later that day, he looked as though the world had ended. His eyes were void of anything, and his expression was blank. Andre attempted to speak to him, but it was as though Beck couldn't hear him. Three weeks later, and Beck was the same way. What was even stranger was that Robbie and Jade ceased all interaction. What happened that day? What changed?

He just wanted everything to go back to normal.

* * *

><p>"I know," Robbie laughed, walking with his girlfriend to their table. "I thought it was so strange!"<p>

"With the big antlers too," Cat giggled. They sat down at lunch together, and Robbie couldn't help staring at her. She truly was beautiful, and funny, and optimistic, and amazing. He truly loved her, and he was ecstatic that she loved him too.

_"You love me?" Cat jumped in surprise at the sudden confession. After Jade revealed Cat's feelings for him, Robbie had run to the girl's room and cried his eyes out. The betrayal he felt from her… Part of him wondered if he was overreacting, but he couldn't help it. She blatantly lied to him. What was worse was she didn't trust him, and she thought so low of him that she expected him to leave her. Either way, he didn't want to think about it. It hurt too much._

_ So he thought of Cat instead. _

_ Wiping his eyes, he immediately ran around the school, hoping to find her. When he sat her sitting in an empty classroom, he literally ran up to her and shouted that he loved her. Now he was currently waiting for her reply, panting from running and red from the confession._

_ "How do you know?" she ended up saying. She slowly stood up, staring at him with wide eyes. "You thought you liked Trina and Tori and maybe even Jade before. How do I know you really like me, or if it's just another one of your fleeting crushes? How do I—"_

_ He kissed her. _

_ She gasped in surprise, but immediately responded to the kiss. When the two parted, they stared into each other's eyes for a long moment before kissing again. It was what they both wanted, and they lost themselves in the moment._

_ They were finally together._

Robbie was about to make another comment, but he noticed Cat's expression change as she stared into the distance. Robbie followed her gaze and frowned at what he saw. Cat was watching Jade, who was sitting alone at her lunch table. She was much thinner now to the point where it looked unhealthy, and she looked utterly miserable. Part of Robbie pitied her and desperately wanted to go to her side and tell her everything would be fine. Another much larger part of Robbie felt nothing though. No anger or misery. Just… nothing.

"Cat," he mumbled, squeezing her hand with his own. "She lied to us. Both of us."

Cat nodded, her eyes still fixated on Jade. "I know."

Robbie frowned. "Why then…?"

The redhead slowly turned to Robbie and smiled softly. "I was so angry when you told me about it. Jade and I had been friends for years, but she didn't tell me about your feelings because she wanted to keep you to herself. I was so angry and hurt and betrayed that she would do that… I really hated her for a second, you know? Now though… I just feel sad for her. She's my best friend, Robbie, and I can't be mad at her forever. Especially not while she's like this."

Robbie scowled, though not at his girlfriend. "She was my best friend too. I just can't get over the fact that she didn't trust me… that she lied to me. We'd been through so much together and to learn that it meant nothing to her…"

"I think it meant something to her," Cat whispered. "That's why she lied. Because it meant so much to her."

Robbie frowned at the statement and turned to his lunch. He… he never thought about it like that.

* * *

><p>Sikowitz was not the same anymore. Usually he was erratic and unusually optimistic, but lately he had been acting like a normal teacher. It was weird, and the whole class could tell he was miserable. Robbie knew why though. After spending so much time worrying about Jade, Sikowitz must have been relieved when she started coming to class again. To have her be gone again so suddenly… it must have killed the man.<p>

To make matters worse, even Beck refused to go to class.

When class ended, the students started filing out of the classroom. "Robbie," Sikowitz spoke up. "May I speak to you?"

Cat frowned in confusion at the sudden announcement, and Robbie smiled reassuringly at her. She nodded and walked out of the classroom although Robbie knew Cat would be waiting for him. Much like Jade used to…

He shook his head and instead turned to his teacher.

Sikowitz sighed. "From what I've heard, you and Jade are no longer friends."

He felt guilty when he nodded. "We aren't." Robbie whispered.

Sikowitz nodded and sat on one of the chairs. Robbie's never seen him look so miserable before, and he couldn't help but pity the man. "Please befriend her again," he sighed, running a hand over his nearly bald head. "It hurts to see her this miserable and unhealthy."

"I can't." He sat across from Sikowitz. "Every time I think of forgiving her, I remember what she did and what it meant. It's hard. I know I might be overreacting, but I can't help how I feel."

"I understand. Whatever she did, it must have hurt you greatly." At least he understood that much. "Just please understand that by not talking about it, you'll never move on from it. Ignoring each other won't help. You have to sit down and discuss her actions and the consequences of them. You have to decide if your friendship can be saved. If not, at least both of you will have closure. From what I've seen, this has not happened."

Robbie frowned at the wise words from his incredibly silly teacher. It was true that Jade and him never had proper closure… much like Jade and Beck. Jade and Beck…

He frowned at the thought of the two of them. When he finally started dating Cat, he expected Beck and Jade to start dating as well. They didn't though. Robbie guessed they attempted to talk about their issues and decided not to date after all.

He shook his head. He didn't want to think of that now. Right now he needed to focus on his own life and what he was going to do. "I'll try," he promised, "but I need to sort everything out first. I'm still angry and hurt, and I won't be able to have a meaningful conversation like this."

Sikowitz nodded, not looking relieved nor angry. "I understand," he sounded tired. "Just please try your best."

Robbie nodded and slowly stood up. Grabbing his bag, he made his way towards the door. Before exiting, he took one last look at his teacher before walking out. As expected, Cat was waiting for him with an innocent expression. She didn't eavesdrop on the conversation. "You okay?" she asked.

He smiled, nodding. "I'm fine."

She smiled back and offered her hand, which he gladly took. His life may have been messed up right now, but being with Cat made him forget about all that. He truly loved her.

* * *

><p>Jade was absolutely miserable. Anyone could see that, and Tori truly felt sorry for her. She wasn't sure what happened. One day Jade was happy with Robbie, and the next the two weren't talking. Then Robbie and Cat ended up dating, and Beck stopped going to class. She knew she was out of the loop and only had rumors and gossip to go off of. Part of her wanted to ask Andre, but he was so biased that she didn't think she would receive the full story.<p>

Perhaps that was why Tori decided to skip class to find Jade. She thought time would improve everything, but so far, time's been a bitch. Nothing has changed, and Tori realized that maybe she should start doing something about it instead of waiting around. She eventually found Jade sitting in the halls cross legged and cutting up some paper.

Tori slowly approached her and sat next to her. Jade's moments ceased, and the girl sat there rigid. "Hey," Tori whispered.

She slowly turned around and glared at Tori. There were huge bags under her eyes, and she was paler than usual. Her cheekbones stood out more, and Tori knew she lost an unhealthy amount of weight. When Jade didn't respond, Tori continued speaking. "I don't know what's going on," she confessed, "but I'm here for you if you need anything."

Jade snorted in response. "Right," she replied sarcastically.

"I am," Tori insisted.

"No." Jade stated angrily. "You're not."

Tori frowned. "How would you—"

"None of you ever bothered to ask if I was okay after Beck and I broke up!" Jade snapped, her eyes blazing with absolute fury and hurt. "No one called me or texted me or asked! You all just stayed at your house playing a card game! I was upset and hurt, and no one came to ask if I was okay! None of you cared! Don't bother pretending you care now, not when you weren't there when I needed someone to be there!"

Tori clenched her fists. "That's not fair," she whispered harshly.

Jade's expression grew angrier. "What do you mean? I—"

"Insulted us!" Tori shouted. "Right before the breakup, you pointed to each and every single one of us and said why we weren't your friends! Dammit, Jade, things like that hurt! After everything we had been through, everything we've done, you just kept insulting us and being mean to us! I get that it's part of your humor, and it is funny sometimes. But in moments like that, we can't tell if you're serious or not! And you sounded pretty damn serious that night. Want to know why we didn't chase after you? Because we didn't know if you'd want us to! You basically denounced us as your friends, so why would you want us to comfort you?"

Jade's eyes widened, and Tori continued shouting, "You can't treat us like shit and then wonder why we're not there for you when you're upset! You can't keep pushing us away and then wonder why we stay away! We're human beings! You can insult us and make fun of us, but you have to let us know in those serious moments that you care about us! Because if you don't, then how then hell should we know if you want us around or not? That's why we didn't comfort you. Not because we didn't care but because we didn't know if you did."

By the end of that speech, Tori was panting and her whole body was shaking. Jade was staring at her with wide eyes, and even her own hands were trembling. The dark haired girl swallowed and stared at Tori with a newfound expression. "I didn't think of it that way," she whispered hoarsely.

Tori nodded, sighing as all the tension exited her body. Now she just felt tired. "I know."

"I'm sorry," her voice was shaky. "I'm sorry."

Tori's eyes softened, "Me too," she wrapped her arms around the girl. "Me too."

"I just," tears came down Jade's cheeks, "that's all I've ever done. Push people away, and you can't get hurt. They won't have the chance to. I've spent all my life pushing and pushing that I started to do it with the people I care about. I pushed Beck and Cat and Robbie, and all of you guys too. I'm sorry."

"I know," she rubbed her back comfortingly. "We can help you, Jade. You just have to let us."

"It's so hard!" Jade sobbed, digging her head into Tori's shoulder.

"It is," she agreed, "but you're Jade West. You can do anything you set your mind to."

Jade nodded and pulled away from the hug, wiping the tears from her eyes. One of her hands still clung to Tori's side though as if she was scared the other girl would run away. Jade sniffed. "Thanks Tori."

Tori smiled softly. "That's what friends are for, Jade."

For the first time in three weeks, Jade smiled.

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading!<p>

Emily: There are only two chapters left.

Alice: What did you guys think of Tori's speech about why she didn't go to Jade? Agree with her? Disagree with her?  
>Emily: I'm trying to make their (Jade, Robbie, Beck, and Cat) positions understandable (basically like a "there's not bad guy but life just happens" type thing).<p>

Alice: What did you guys think in general?

Emily: Next chapter will be up by next Monday the third at the latest.

Alice: My goal is to actually finish the story by Monday August 3rd, but I'm not sure if I can.


	21. Chapter 20

Alice: New chapter!

Emily: I hope you all like it.

Alice: My goal, as I said before, is to finish this by this Monday, but I really, really doubt I'll be able to do that.

Emily: I'll still try though!

Alice: Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 20<span>**

Robbie was barely paying attention to the movie on the screen. All of his thoughts were wrapped around the situation with Jade and what he should do about it. Glancing to his shoulder, his eyes softened when he saw Cat's clouded eyes as well. She wasn't paying attention to the movie either. They were at her house, alone, and cuddling on the couch watching a supposedly romantic comedy. Neither of them had laughed since it started, but Robbie could hardly blame the movie.

He sighed and grabbed the remote, pausing the movie. Cat frowned and turned her head so she could see Robbie. "Penny for your thoughts?" Robbie attempted to smile.

She sighed. "I'm just worried about Jade and Beck."

Robbie nodded. He figured she was thinking along the same lines he was. "I don't know what to do," he confessed. "I get that Jade has trust issues and abandonment problems and all… but I thought we got past that, you know? I thought she trusted me. I know I sound like a broken record, but I just can't get over it."

Cat's eyes softened. "I get it," she mumbled. "When I was friends with her, it bothered me that she never trusted me."

"She didn't?"

"Not in the same way she didn't trust you," she clarified. "She'd always be there for me with my problems, you know? Whenever I was upset, she would hold me and comfort me. I'm guessing she's done the same for you?"

Robbie's eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah?"

"I figured." Cat sighed. "You know how she can get a little mom-like with you?"

Robbie had definitely noticed that in the past. "She definitely can."

"She took it to extremes with me. She wouldn't tell me what was bothering her or if she was upset because she didn't want to burden me. We didn't have a friendship where we were equal. We had one where Jade saw me as a priority, and it bothered me. I wanted to be there for her and talk about her problems and comfort her, but she wouldn't let me. When she broke up with Beck, I tried texting her and asking if I should come over, but she kept saying no and that she was fine. She didn't want me to see her upset." Cat explained, a distant look in her eyes.

"Did you ever tell her that?" Robbie asked. "That you wanted to be there for her and all?"

"I didn't really know how to say it," she shrugged. "I was building up to it though, but then all this happened…"

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she replied. She paused for a moment and blurted out, "Can I tell you something I've never told anyone before?"

Robbie blinked. "Um… sure?"

"When Beck and Jade were dating, Jade did the same thing to him. She didn't tell him what was bothering her. Not because she thought she'd burden him, like she did with me. I think she didn't want him to think less of her or something. I'm not sure, but she wasn't as open with him as most girlfriends are, and it really frustrated him."

Yeah, Robbie could imagine.

"So Beck and I used to meet up in secret and talk about her," Cat continued. "Not bad things, but things we thought were bothering her like her dad. We talked about how we could handle it and worked together to distract her from all the bad stuff without ever bringing it up. She doesn't like it when we bring up stuff like that. After the breakup, Beck was heartbroken. I didn't understand why until you explained it to me. Anyway, I was upset because I thought you and Jade were together, so I eventually went to Beck for comfort."

Robbie's lips parted in surprise. Beck and Cat were close? Since when? He tried to remember all the times he saw them actually talking and comforting each other, but he couldn't recall any particular moments. Sure, they talked about goofy, on the surface things, but Cat was implying their conversations became much deeper than that. Maybe he was so focused on Jade he didn't notice… no, he would have noticed if Cat was becoming close to another guy. They must have met up in secret instead of being outright friends like Jade and Robbie were. "What happened after that?"

"I started dating you," she shrugged, "and Beck just stopped talking to me. I think it was on the same day. I'm not sure why. He stopped talking to Andre too."

Robbie sighed. "Maybe it's because he expected to get back together with Jade but after they talked they realized they couldn't?"

Cat frowned. "Is that what you think happened?"

"I don't know. I'm making an educated guess. What do you think happened?"

"I don't know," she admitted, "but I think it's more complicated than that."

Robbie nodded, searching her expression. "You think I should talk to Jade."

"I think you should." Cat confirmed. "I should too."

"I don't know if I can," he ran his hand through his curly hair. "I'm still really angry at her."

"Maybe talking to her will help that? You can yell at her and get it all out instead of keeping it inside." She grasped his hand, playing with his fingers. She looked up at him with so much hope that Robbie didn't know if he could say no to that.

"You are really good at the whole comforting thing," he said instead.

She clearly noticed how he strayed from the main topic and smiled sadly. "Thanks." She let go of his head. "But I think I could use some work on it."

The rest of the night was spent in silence.

* * *

><p>For the first time in his life, Robbie skipped an entire class. He could stand going back and seeing Sikowitz so miserable and looking towards him for answers. Due to his absence, he received multiple texts from Cat, Tori, and even Andre asking where he was and if he was okay. He replied to all of them saying he was fine and just needed some time to think. When he finally put his phone in his pocket, he realized he had been walking and texting at the same time, and it lead him to the main hallway. The first thing he noticed was Beck sitting on the ground, absently staring at the ceiling. "Beck?" he accidentally spoke out loud.<p>

That stirred Beck. The once handsome boy glanced at him with eyes void of emotion. "Robbie." He stated.

He looked terrible.

Robbie gulped and found his legs moving on their own accord. He ended up sitting next to Beck and openly staring at him. "Are you okay?" A stupid question. He clearly wasn't okay.

Beck snorted. "Just fine."

Robbie nodded, not believing him in the slightest. The two boys sat in silence, both pondering over a very similar matter. Robbie glanced at Beck from the corner of his eye, wondering what happened to make Beck this miserable. The breakup didn't even leave him this vulnerable. It left him angry, sure, but not depressed.

"I'm sorry I was cruel to you," Beck blurted out, interrupting his thoughts.

Robbie jumped a bit in surprise. "It's fine?"

"No it's not," he sighed, leaning his head back against the lockers. "I always knew I had an anger issue, but I always thought it was fine, you know? It just meant that if I got into arguments, I'd get a little more frustrated than people normally would. I never thought it meant I was a bully. I never wanted to be _that_ person."

"I understand," Robbie actually didn't understand, but he wasn't angry at Beck. He was used to bullying at this point, and he was grateful for the apology. None of his previous bullies ever had the guts to actually admit what they did was wrong and say they were sorry for it. "I forgive you."

"You shouldn't. I was terrible." Beck sighed. "I was just jealous that you were so close to her, you know? It looked like she trusted you more than she ever trusted me, and I just didn't get it. After all the hard work I put in, after all the things we've been through, she ended up trusting someone she'd only been friends with for two weeks more than someone she'd been dating for over two years. It's really frustrating."

Robbie snorted. "She didn't trust me."

Beck gave him a skeptical look. "Did she tell you about her dad?"

"Yes…?" Robbie frowned.

"Never talked to me about him. Did she tell you about any of her insecurities?"

"Yes."

"Never said anything about those to me. Did she talk to you about our breakup?"

Robbie flinched. "She did."

"Cat didn't even get the details on that." Beck ironically smiled. "How'd you do it?"

"I don't know," Robbie shrugged. "I think it's because I never asked her to tell me."

Beck frowned. "I don't get it."

"Whenever she was upset, I didn't ask her to tell me why. I was just there for her. After a while, she just started telling me things. She told me she appreciated that I didn't ask questions. She likes to push people away, so if you start pushing, even a little, she'll shove you right back." Robbie explained, thinking over their previous friendship and the amount of times she thanked him for not asking questions. It was a strange concept to build trust off of, but he understood in a way.

"That's a good point," he smiled although there was no happiness behind it. "I'm not like that. I need to know because if I know then I can help her."

Robbie stared at him for a moment. "Can I ask you something personal?"

"Go ahead." Beck answered.

"What happened between you and Jade? I thought you two were going to get back together but then you just… didn't." Robbie asked, watching Beck for any reaction.

Beck cringed and abruptly looked away from Robbie and to his feet. He sighed, his hands shaking. "I don't know. Andre randomly ran to me and started telling me about how Jade never wanted to breakup and that she would be willing to talk to me about fixing our relationship. He told me she still loved me. I remember it was the happiest I had been in a while, so I literally ran to her. When I found her, we were already alone, and I told her I loved her. I said I'd be willing to fix things and be in a relationship again.

"But she just looked at me and said she didn't love me. She said she didn't want to get back together and that I heard wrong. I remember staring at her like an idiot, and she just walked out of the room again. I broke down, I think, I'm not sure. It was like every ounce of hope I had for our relationship maybe working out disappeared. I couldn't handle it anymore, and I just stopped." Tears came to Beck's eyes. "I just don't get it. Andre seemed so sure that she… I don't know."

_But I do know_, Robbie thought to himself. Instead of saying anything, he just wrapped an arm around Beck's shoulders and let him cry it out. Jade rejected Beck. It all made sense now. Instead of getting back together with Beck and allowing herself happiness, Jade chose loneliness. Still, it seemed off. This wasn't Jade pushing people away. This was Jade thinking she didn't deserve happiness. It was a startling difference, and it made Robbie's chest hurt.

It was in that moment he realized he still cared deeply about Jade. While he always knew that, his anger shielded himself from consciously thinking about it. Jade was hurting just as much as he was, and he was being stubborn by refusing to talk to her about it. If they sat down and had a conversation, they could at least understand why the other did what they did. Maybe they would end up being friends again, maybe they wouldn't. Either way, they'd have closure. Robbie made up his mind in that moment.

He was going to talk to Jade.

* * *

><p>Alice: I lied when I said before there would only be two chapters left.<p>

Emily: This will be the third-to-last chapter.

Alice: There will be one more chapter (chapter 21) and an epilogue.

Emily: I originally wasn't going to have the epilogue, but I figured it'd be a nice way to end the story.

Alice: Like I said, my goal is to finish it by Monday, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to.

Emily: I'll definitely finish it before next week though.

Alice: Thanks for reading!


	22. Chapter 21

Alice: New chapter!

Emily: This is the second to last chapter!

Alice: The next one will be an epilogue, and once the story is finished, the poll will be closed.

Emily: So far, Victorious and Teen Titans are tied.

Alice: Remember to vote!

Emily: Also, thank you for the major support for this story! I really love you guys!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 21<span>**

Thanks to Tori's encouragement, Jade actually bothered showing up to Sikowitz's class. To think, of all the people that could help her in her time of need, it was Tori. Then again, she felt the same way towards Robbie, and the two of them ended up very close. And before Robbie, she thought the same of Cat and Beck. She winced at the last thought. Currently Cat was angry with her (which was justified in her mind), and Beck…

Well, she'd rather not think of Beck.

Sighing, she tried focusing on Sikowitz's teaching but continually zoned out. She could tell he was giving her concerned glances, and she knew they were going to have a talk at one point. Still, it was nice to know he cared after everything she put him through. Glancing at her fingernails, she began picking at the nail polish.

That's why she didn't notice Robbie strutting into class with arms full of balloons and candy until he was literally right in front of her. She frowned and sat up in her chair, staring at him with confusion. The balloons read 'I'm sorry' and they were attacked to a vase of dead roses. "Robbie?" she frowned.

"They didn't have any 'I forgive you' balloons, so I had to improvise," he shrugged before handing her everything in his arms. Jade's jaw dropped at all of it, and she quickly looked at Cat, wondering what the redhead thought of the semi-romantic gesture. Her friend was just smiling proudly at her boyfriend, and Jade slowly turned back to Robbie.

"I don't understand," she confessed.

"I overreacted," Robbie sighed, grabbing a chair and sitting across from her. The entire class was watching with interest, and Sikowitz didn't dare break up the scene in front of him. He was scared that if he did, Robbie would go back to hating Jade. At least now they were talking even if it was in public.

Jade raised her eyebrow. "No, you didn't. I was being a bitch. I shouldn't have lied to you… or Cat."

"No, you shouldn't have," Robbie agreed, "but it's not like I've never lied to you. Heck, this entire friendship as originally based off of a lie! You never got too angry at me for that, so I figured I should repay the favor."

Jade smiled softly at the memory and of how Robbie confessed what his original intention was behind befriending her. From the corner of her eye, she saw Cat frown in confusion, and she figured Robbie forgot to tell her their friendship began because of her. "That's different," she frowned.

"Not really," he argued. "We both lied about something pretty big, and we both told each other about it before it was too late. The only difference was you forgave me, and I was an ass."

She smiled softly. "Maybe a little."

"It's just…" Robbie sighed, searching for the words. "I always really liked how honest you were and how I always knew what you were thinking. It was a relief because I never felt that way before. With my friends, I'm always scared they think I'm awkward or a nerd or not worth their time, but are too nice to say so. You were never like that."

"Yeah I'm a bitch." Jade smirked.

"You kind of are." Robbie smiled sheepishly. "But that's why I liked hanging around you so much. You're a bitch, but you're a nice bitch. I shouldn't have overreacted, and I should have talked to you from the beginning. I'm sorry about that."

"I'm sorry I lied," Jade shifted in her seat so she was facing Cat. "I'm sorry to you too."

Cat beamed. "I don't care."

Jade laughed and turned back to Robbie. "So… friends?"

"The best," Robbie jokingly grinned back, and Jade snorted. She stared at him for a moment before literally leaping into his arms and squeezing him in a hug. He eagerly hugged back but quickly checked on Cat from the corner of his eye. She just smiled at the action, and Robbie breathed a sigh of relief. Once they parted, the entire class clapped for them, which Robbie felt was rather ironic since they always tired to push them down.

"And scene!" Sikowitz grinned. "Now back to the lesson."

The class groaned in annoyance but turned to him nonetheless. Before going to the board, Sikowitz smiled happily at his two students, and they grinned back. Once the lesson began, Robbie leaned towards Jade and whispered, "I heard you rejected Beck."

She instantly froze. "Yeah," she nodded, her eyes fixed on the lesson. "I did."

"You should talk to him," Robbie encouraged.

Jade frowned. "Hasn't he been a dick to you though?"

"He apologized for it."

"He… did?"

"Yeah," Robbie nodded. At Jade's hesitation, he continued, "I get that you're scared he'll leave you again… or maybe you think you don't deserve happiness, but it's not true. Beck loves you, and you deserve all the happiness you can get. Talk to him. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. But if it does… it could impact the rest of your life."

Jade sighed, playing with the ends of her black skirt before she nodded. Robbie grinned at her and shifted his focus back on Sikowitz.

For the first time in a long time, he felt lighter.

* * *

><p>Jade stared down at the door handle for the janitor's closet. She knew Beck would be in there, but she didn't know what to say to him. After all this time, she was convinced he didn't love her anymore only to be told he did. Then she had to go and reject him. Maybe he hated her now that she caused him so much pain? She took a deep breath and tried remembering Robbie's advice. The lack of communication and secrecy caused their relationship to fail. If she refused to talk to him now, she would make no progress on these issues.<p>

Nodding her head, she slowly opened the door.

Beck was sitting down with his eyes shut and his legs up, leaning his back and head against the wall. At the sound of the door opening, he cracked open one of his eyes and gasped in surprise. He shakily stood up and stared at her as if she was the most wonderful thing he's ever seen. She shyly smiled at him and closed the door behind her. They stared at each other for a moment. "Hey," she said in a calm tone.

"Hey…" he gulped. "Um… did you want to sit down?"

"Sure."

She walked over to him and sat onto the floor with him following her lead. Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she attempted to think of something to say. She sighed and figured she might as well make things up as she went along. "I lied." She stated. "I lied about not loving you, and I'm sorry I did."

Beck's eyes widened and his lips parted. He was clearly searching for something to say, and Jade waited patiently for him to find the words. "Why?" he finally breathed out.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Robbie was pissed at me, and I was really upset about it, and when you told me you loved me… I don't know. I just figured nothing good would come out of us dating again because I always seem to drag you down. I bring out the worst in you, and you deserve better than that."

"Bring out the worst in me?" Beck exclaimed as though the notion was ridiculous. "Jade, you bring out everything in me! All my faults and my strengths. Before I met you, I was just faking perfection so people could approve. With you, I don't have to do that. I feel free around you."

Jade smiled softly. He'd told her that before, and she'd nearly forgotten it until that moment. It was a similar speech he gave before he confessed that he loved her for the first time. "I'm sorry I thought differently," she could feel tears coming to her eyes. She wasn't sure if they were from happiness or regret.

"Don't be." Beck reassured. "I talked to Robbie the other day, and he told me about how the way I've been pushing you causes you to be more secretive. I'm sorry if I pushed too hard on the thing's you weren't comfortable talking about. I always thought that if I found out what was bothering you, I could help, but all I did was make you feel pressured."

Jade shook her head. "Beck, I was your girlfriend. You have every right to expect me to tell you things. It was a little annoying when you kept insisting, but I shouldn't have been keeping so many things to myself. A relationship is built on trust, and I never gave you any. Instead I just fought you, and it destroyed us."

"But not completely, right?" Beck asked, and Jade was astonished by the amount of hope and desperation in his eyes. She never noticed that before. Maybe it was due to her refusal to even look at him.

She nodded. "No, not completely. We can rebuild what we had, but it has to be different. What we had before made us both suffer in the long run, and I don't think I can handle a second breakup."

"I don't think I can either," Beck whispered softly before straightening his back. "Okay. Let's take turns then. Say something that bothered you during our relationship."

"You flirting with the other girls," she immediately responded. "And don't you dare say you weren't."

Beck nodded his head. "Alright. No more flirting so long as you don't get as jealous as you used to. It's cute sometimes, but after a while, it hurt thinking you didn't trust me to not cheat." He stated, crossing his arms stubbornly.

Jade nodded, fiddling with her fingers. "There's a reason I was so scared you'd leave for another girl," she confessed. "Something to do with my dad…"

"Do you want to talk about it?" Beck asked, inching closer to her.

"Yes." She stated. "But not now. First we have to get through this, then I'll talk about my dad."

"Speaking of… try being more open with me and with Cat," he bit his lip. "I know Cat's insecure because you don't like talking about your problems with her, and I am too."

"Really? Cat?" Jade exclaimed before narrowing her eyes. "How do you know that?"

"Believe it or not, Cat and I actually got really close after the breakup," Beck shrugged. "We bonded over our jealousy with you and Robbie."

Jade blinked. "You're kidding."

"Nope. We're the best of friends now."

"That's really hard to picture," Jade admitted, "but I'm happy you two are getting along. Oh, another thing! You need to get your temper under control. Insult Robbie again, and I will not hesitate to hurt you."

Beck smirked. "You and Cat."

"Exactly."

"Alright. But you have too—"

The two eventually lost themselves in the conversation. Each brought up very valid points on why the relationship didn't work out, and how they could both improve it. While they knew they wouldn't be able to solve these problems over night, they knew the issues existed which was already a major improvement compared to their previous relationship. It would take a lot of work and time to fix the many problems, but this time both were willing to put in the effort to do so.

And that made all the difference.

* * *

><p>Alice: Thanks for reading! One more chapter left!<p>

Emily: It's an epilogue, and it should by up by this Sunday.

Alice: Also, if Victorious wins the poll, I have three story ideas on what to write next, so let me know which one I should write next:

**1. Beck and Jade were a terrible couple and broke up as a result. It turns out, though, they were even worse at being broken up! With continual hook ups, Beck and Jade are unsure if they can ever really separate from each other, and they're starting to realize that maybe they don't want to.**

Basically this will start at The Worst Couple and go episode by episode until they are back together. They start out as broken up but ended up constantly hooking up which leaves them wondering if they should get back together or cease all interaction entirely. Just a warning though this would be rated M.

**2. Jade never went to Hollywood Arts, but the gang still ends up being very close. So close, in fact, that they all begin to star in a sitcom together. When they needed one more character, a strange actress named Jade is hired and gets along with the gang perfectly. Maybe too perfectly. Beck and Jade begin developing feelings for each other, but Beck is already dating Tori and has been since high school, and Jade is in deep denial that anything is happening between them.**

This will be an AU where everyone stars in a TV show, and Jade is the new one to the group. After the first season is up, no one can deny that Beck and Jade (both in real life and between their characters) have a ton of chemistry which causes multiple issues since Beck is has been dating Tori for years, and Jade is in denial that there is anything going on between them.

**3. Jade has a secret she never told anyone, and now it's coming back to haunt her. In an attempt to keep it a secret from Beck, she ends up isolating the one person she loves, leaving her vulnerable to the demons of her past.**

Just a warning, this would be a very dark story and deal with serious issues such as abusive relationships (not between Bade though), abortion, rape (again, not between Bade), etc.

Emily: If Victorious wins the poll (which will be closed when this story ends), I'll put up another poll asking which story you would prefer, and you guys can also let me know through reviews or PM. I'll keep score, and if Victorious wins, I'll start writing the story that wins the vote.

Alice: Once again, thanks for reading and expressing all the support for this story!


	23. Epilogue

Alice: This is the last chapter of _The Best Friend_!

Emily: It's also the last day of the poll, so if Victorious wins, I'll close the poll at the end of the day and open a new one with the three options from the previous chapters.

Alice: Basically check in tomorrow to see the winner's options for the poll.

Emily: Thank you so much for all of your support and love for this story! It truly means a lot to me!

Alice: Without further ado, here's the final chapter of _The Best Friend._

* * *

><p><span><strong>Epilogue<strong>

Beck, Jade, Robbie, and Cat were all sitting at the lunch table together joking around. It started out with Jade teasing Robbie about being a nerd, and Cat instantly coming to her boyfriend's defense by throwing one of her French fries at Jade, who burst out laughing. It resulted in the four of them teasing each other nonstop and laughing. It was the happiest the four of them had felt in months.

Ever since Beck and Jade got back together, their communication and relationship stability had improved drastically. With Robbie's help, Jade learned to become more open with both her boyfriend and with her best friend. She now confronted Beck and Cat about the multiple issues in her life and how they bothered her. She also learned to be more tolerating and nice towards Tori, who was ecstatic with this new development in their friendship. Likewise, Cat began helping Beck with his temper, and it resulted in far less fights between him and his girlfriend.

"Okay," Jade laughed, trying to signal that the rest of the table needed to calm down before she could speak again. "Really quick, are we all still on for sushi tomorrow?"

"I still want a burger," Robbie unhappily grumbled, sending Beck an over exaggerated look of disappointment.

Beck snorted and tried going along with the obvious sarcasm. "What can I say, Robbie?" He exclaimed overdramatically. "We've been tied down, unable to live in freedom any longer. We're trapped!"

"Wow, I love you too babe," Jade smirked at him, and he instantly smiled back. Cat merely giggled and playfully slapped Robbie on the arm. "So we are still on though?" Jade clarified.

"Yeah."

"Definitely."

"A burger does sound nice," Beck pretended to think it over, and Jade mockingly glared at him. "Okay, sushi."

Cat laughed at the two of them. "This is going to be fun!" Cat clapped her hands together. "I've never been on a double date before!"

Beck furrowed his eyebrows. "Cat, the four of us hang out together all the time!"

"But not as an official double date," she pouted at him.

Just as she said that, Andre and Tori walked outside with trays in their hands. The two of them were talking peacefully and laughing amongst themselves. To everyone around them, it looked entirely platonic, and to the two of them, it felt platonic. But the two couples on the bench saw something familiar in the way the two of them acted. "Who knows?" Jade smirked. "Maybe we'll be able to triple date after a while."

Beck nodded, a smile slowly blooming on his face. "Remember when we were like that?"

"You mean not knowing whether or not we liked each other and kind of dancing around it?" Jade tilted her head to the side. "No, not really."

"That was us less than a year ago!" Cat exclaimed to Robbie, smiling brightly at the potential couple. "We should get them to go out!"

"Not yet," Jade pointed her fork at her. "They don't know if they like each other yet or not. We got to get them to realize that first…"

"And how are we going to do that?" Robbie questioned.

"Aren't you supposed to be smart?" She teased him. "It's easy. You just—"

As the four continued talking, Tori and Andre sat down at a private table and began talking amongst themselves. They were completely unsuspecting of what their friends had in store for them, and the four friends counted on that. Soon the topic changed to the time they would meet for the double date, and the four eventually parted. Robbie and Cat began walking to class together, hand in hand and smiling happily at each other. Jade ended up leading Beck to the janitor's closet, locking the door behind them so no one would walk in.

After all the miscommunication, after all of the anger, and after all of the heartbreak, the four of them had managed to find happiness and love within in each other and even themselves.

And that was all they needed.

* * *

><p>Alice: Sorry if the ending's a little clichéd, but I wanted to end it on a kind of happy, silly moment between the four of them.<p>

Emily: Originally I was going to end it with Jade and Beck getting back together, but I wanted to show the development of the four of them as couples and friends.

Alice: Once again, thank you so much for all of the support you all have expressed towards this story.

Emily: It truly means a lot to me!

Alice: Thank you for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed _The Best Friend._


End file.
